Andhra Pradesh - Ongole   

Long wait for pension

Special Correspondent

Despite changes in payment, old people's woes continue

NO RELIEF: Old women wait at St. Theresa School for distribution of pension in Ongole on Wednesday.

ONGOLE: Despite best efforts by officials, old people still face problems in receiving their pension every month. About 100 women, who came to St. Xavier High School here at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, had to wait for more than four hours to receive their old-age pension. They were paid pension for three months as against arrears for five months.

Beneficiaries of old-age pension faced problems as they were paid once in three or four months and they had to go round the panchayat or municipal office to receive their pension before.

So the Government issued instructions to officials to pay old-age pension every month at the doorstep of beneficiaries to avoid hardship to them.

Payment centres

Municipal Commissioner Challa Anuradha said that 2,900 persons were paid old-age pension in the town. They made arrangements for payment of pensions at 26 centres in the town. Beneficiaries can go to the nearest centre and receive the pension.

She said that the old-age pension would be paid to beneficiaries on first of every month from April. Those who could not take the pension on first, can receive it on fifth. This arrangement would ensure regular payment of pension to beneficiaries. It would also help the municipality to dispose the work in one or two days instead of 10-15 days, she said.

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