INDIA: Contented With What Little They Get As Old Age Pension

Tamenglong, Manipur (The Sangai Express), July 3, 2006: The grand Old Age Pension scheme given to the aged people of the country under the National Social Assistance Programme by the Centre is Rs 75 per month which works out to Rs 900 annually, but to many of the aged people of Tamenglong district of Manipur, in Northeast India, they are quite satisfied with drawing only Rs 300 per year. A recent investigation conducted by this reporter in the interiors of Tamenglong district at Kuilong, Kadi, Chaton and Ileng brought to light that many of the aged people entitled to the old age pension are quite satisfied by drawing Rs 300 annually, though the actual amount is Rs 900 per year, for reasons that are beyond their control. Khangbenbou Panmei, a 70 year old man from Kuilong said that from 2004 he started receiving Rs 300 annually under the Old Age Pension scheme. Far from feeling dissatisfied that he is getting much less than what the Government has earmarked for him, the gentleman in question here is quite satisfied with the measly amount of Rs 300 he receives annually. And there are reasons why Panmei is satisfied with getting only one third of his earmarked amount. Panmei said that out of the Rs 900 pension he is entitled to, Rs 200 is deducted somewhere down the line. He was not too keen to go into the details of where the Rs 200 had gone. To get his pension, the 70 year old man first has to trek 47 kilometres to Tamei. The journey from Tamei to Tamenglong and back means an expenditure of Rs 200. Over and above this an overnight stay at Tamenglong along with food and lodging brings the total expenditure to Rs 350.Taking the expenditure to be incurred plus the deduction of Rs 200, many aged people from Kuilong prefer to stay put at home instead of taking the arduous journey to the district headquarters. It is more convenient to appoint a nominee and receive Rs 300 per year after giving the nominee his commission. The pensioner himself does not keep the card issued with the Government with him but keeps it in the custody of the nominee. The Rs 300 is faithfully sent to his village every year. A 67 year old gentleman from Kadi Part IV, Khangbou Lianmei said that he has been receiving the Old Age Pension for the past five years. Here too, Rs 200 is deducted from his pension every year and like Panmei, Lianmei is not too keen to go into the details of where or to whom the Rs 200 goes to. Unlike Panmei though, he keeps the card with himself and he personally withdraws a sum of Rs 700 every year. Out of the Rs 700 he receives every year, Rs 350 is expended during the journey from his village to the district headquarters and Lianmei is quite satisfied with the Rs 350 he manages to save from his pension. Director of Social Welfare A Nabachandra said that he has no knowledge about any such deduction. Whether the Director knows or not is a different story, but the fact stands that an amount of Rs 200 is deducted from the amount payable to each pensioner every year. Old Age Pension is released in two instalments every year. There is no such clause that nominees can deduct Rs 200. On being contacted, the District Collector of Tamenglong, T Pamei admitted that many of the pensioners personally do not come to the district headquarters to withdraw the pension. Instead nominees are appointed who do the needful of withdrawing the money and handing them over to the pensioners, after deducting their commission. If arrangements are not made to ensure that the pension directly reaches the beneficiaries, then its benefits will never be fully enjoyed by the pensioners, he said. Stating that there may be pension amounts withdrawn and kept aside for deceased pensioners as reports have not been submitted, the DC said that computerised data bank should be installed to maintain all the records. The DC suggested the pension be sent by Money Order through the Post Office and directly to the pensioner. This way, the pensioners will receive their full share of the amount. Under the Old Age Pension Scheme, all women above the age of 55 and men above the age of 60 are entitled to receive the money. T Pamei opined that it would be better to increase the cut off age by five years each for women and men. On the other hand, this reporter learnt that despite the provisions for women, none of the aged women have received the benefits from Kadi Part I to IV, Kuilong Part I to III, Chaton Part I and II and Ileng. A 73 year old woman at Kadi Part III said that though she is entitled to receive the pension, she has not received any aid till date. The woman said that there are numerous other women who are entitled to the pension but have not received the same. They do not the reason why they have not received the Central benefits.