Differently-Abled Man Runs from Bank to Bank for Pension
Astaranga, 23/7 – The state government has implemented several laws and schemes to support differently-abled individuals, whether through pension provisions or other benefits. These guidelines are meant to ensure that no differently-abled person faces difficulty in accessing government services. Special instructions have been issued to officials handling matters related to the differently-abled. However, these directives are being openly violated in Astaranga Block.
Vijay Swain, aged 40, from Athatira village in Alangapur Panchayat, is fully disabled and relies solely on a three-wheeler cycle for mobility. Sadly, he has been forced to move from one bank to another in the Astaranga market area along with his elderly father—aged 80—just to receive his disability pension. Despite being entitled to the pension, he has not received it for the past three months.
Initially, when Vijay visited the panchayat office, the official there advised him to approach the bank. Shockingly, the officer seemed to have forgotten that Vijay is physically disabled. Moreover, neither Vijay nor the officer knew which bank the pension amount had been transferred to. Under the scorching sun, Vijay and his father walked over 10 kilometers visiting different banks, only to be left disappointed. Eventually, he reached the Astaranga Block Disability Office, but even there, the concerned officer was absent at 11 a.m.
Although the government claims that pension amounts should be directly and easily credited into beneficiaries’ bank accounts, the reality paints a different picture. The responsibility of ensuring this smooth process lies with the panchayat officials, but the system is being blatantly neglected. Many elderly and differently-abled people are facing similar hardships just to access their rightful pensions. Several intellectuals and concerned citizens have urged the state government to strengthen and strictly enforce the pension disbursement system immediately.
