BJP Mahila Morcha criticises old-age pension disbursal system
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 17 2015 :
The BJP Mahila Morcha has said that the incident where an elderly woman died and many others made to stand in queues under the scorching sun throughout the day for collecting their pension amount on April 15 at 1st MR premises was saddening.
Addressing a press meet at Manipur Press Club today, National vice-president of BJP Mahila Morcha, Adhikarimayum Sarda Devi said the mode of distributing pension amount to beneficiaries is highly objectionable and will not be accepted.
A delegate of BJP Manipur Mahila Morcha also went to the residence of Irengbam (O) Purnimashi� who met a tragic end reportedly after standing in queue waiting for her turn to receive her pension amount at 1st MR premises on April 15� at Khagempali Panka Ningom Leirak today and shared the grief of the bereaved family.
Quoting family's accounts, Sarda Devi said that Purnimashi went to collect her pension amount on April 13 without taking her meal and returned home empty handed after dusk.
Sarda Devi said that the pension amount was distributed on earlier occasions through MLA, Panchayat or Municipal Council/Nagar Panchayat.
It was anticipated that the distribution mode would be more convenient for the beneficiaries when the authority concerned announced to distribute the same through personal bank account.
However, the same turned out to be disastrous, she said.
Many elderly citizens were made to stand for long time under the scorching sun and no shelter was provided to them, Sarda added.
She strongly demanded that an effective measure be taken up immediately to prevent the recurrence of April 15 incident.
Meanwhile, a sit in protest was staged by Yaipha Lamjing Lup at Pishumthong Ningom Leirak in connection with the death of Irengbam (O) Purnimashi today.
A participant of the sit-in, Maibam Joykishore, social activist, said that no sensible persons would now allow elders of their families to collect pension under the present disbursal system of the Social Welfare Dept.
Demanding the authority concerned to devise better way of distributing pension to elderly citizens, he also said that the Govt should provide adequate compensation to the family of Purnimashi.