Thiruvananthapuram: The state government had promised to disburse the welfare pensions before Onam. But it turns out that only a lucky few have got it. In fact, the survey to figure out how many wanted pensions at home is yet to be completed. Alleging that the process is politicised, UDF councillors staged a dharna in front of the Corporation office on Tuesday. They alleged that only LDF supporters have started getting pensions.
“By now they (LDF sympathisers) would have got the pensions; but not a single beneficiary in my ward has got pension,” said Pettah councillor D. Anil Kumar. “If you ask LDF councilors, they would say that the pensions have been paid already. There is clear discrimination.” To elicit their point, they cited the example of K. Radha, a UDF supporter, who returned home dejected as she is yet to get her widow pension. At the Corporation Office, the 63-year-old was told that she needs to find the Kudumbashree Area Development Society chief to get an update on her pension.
Since the pension money is credited in her bank account, she is confused. She says she has received '1,000 in June, but is yet to receive the pension for April and May. Even if some chose the existing method of depositing pension in a bank account, over delivering pension at home, the Kudumbashree ignored their response, said Steffi George, Kesavadasapuram councillor. Though there were some technical snags, the pension survey has already covered at least 50% households, said Deputy Mayor Rakhi Ravikumar. But she agreed that pensions would be distributed fully by Onam.
