INDIA: Reaching Out To The Aged In Need

MADURAI, Tamil Nadu (The Hindu), January 2, 2008: In a bid to avoid any hardship to senior citizens applying for old age pension, the district administration has evolved a strategy wherein officials will reach out to the aged and sanction the assistance in a simplified manner. District Collector, S.S. Jawahar, says a list of senior citizens eligible for old age pension is being compiled. Those who had not applied for pension would be apprised of the scheme and given application forms. Deputy Collectors would conduct camps at the firka-level and sanction pension on the spot. “We want to ensure that no eligible person is left out. In many villages, senior citizens are not aware of the pension benefits. We will identify them and offer the scheme. In 2007, 10,789 persons got pension, which is the highest ever in a year,” he said. Similarly, camps would be organised in all the 12 taluks periodically to issue National Identity Cards to physically challenged persons. “It is estimated that there are at least 26,000 differently abled persons in the district. We will take the medical board comprising four specialist doctors to the camps and issue certificates,” he said. Sanction had been obtained to provide Rs. 500 a month as ‘maintenance grant’ to 500 mentally challenged persons. The fund could be utilised to appoint guardians to the beneficiaries. These measures, aimed at providing hassle-free relief to beneficiaries, would be a continuing exercise. By S. Vijay Kumar Copyright © 2008, The Hindu