Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 150
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 151
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Jharkhand lacks universal pension coverage, allege civil society activitists

Jharkhand lacks universal pension coverage, allege civil society activitists

Share this article Share this article
published Published on Oct 1, 2018   modified Modified on Oct 1, 2018
-Press release by Right to Food Campaign dated 28th September, 2018

17 lakh elderly, widows and differently-abled persons in Jharkhand who qualify for social security pensions, do not receive their entitlement. One important reason is that pension coverage in Jharkhand is not universal. Even those who do receive pensions face chronic selection errors and administrative glitches. In 2016-17, 3 lakh pensioners were deleted as “fake”, though many genuine persons, whose pension accounts were not linked with aadhaar, were also excluded.

Therefore, today hundreds of elderly, widows, single women and differently-abled persons from different districts of Jharkhand gathered at Raj Bhavan for a public hearing organized by the Jharkhand Right to Food Campaign and Pension Parishad. They presented their testimonies before the panelists and their main demand is the right to universal social security pensions ahead of World Elderly Day on 1st October.

The public hearing panelists included Balram (Right to Food Campaign), Shadab Ansari (HRLN) and Binny Azad (Ekal Nari Shakti Sanghatam).

The oral and written testimonies presented by the participants threw light on the havoc created by pensions. They highlighted that people who are not identified as below-the-poverty line (BPL) or earn more than a measly Rs 875 a month in rural areas are not eligible for most state social pensions. Further, at least 5 cases of starvation deaths in the last one year alone in Jharkhand can be attributed to the mandatory imposition of aadhaar. In some cases, the pension amount was credited to the wrong account while in others there were aadhaar authentication failures. Further the cumbersome application procedures, irregular and chronically delayed payments and inconvenient collection methods for pitiable amounts have eroded the efficacy of this lifeline.

With the rallying call of “APL BPL Band Karo, Sabko Pension, Ration Do”, the main demands were - implementation of universal pensions, removal of mandatory imposition of Aadhaar, timely payment without delays, an inflation-indexed increase in the pension amount to at least Rs 2000 per month and reducing the eligibility age. They encouraged all political parties to include these lucid demands in their election manifestos.

The day also marks the first death anniversary of Simdega’s 11-year-old school girl Santoshi Kumari, who died of hunger. Her family’s ration-card was cancelled as it was not linked to aadhaar. Her last words crying for rice were “bhaat, bhaat”. The occasion is particularly poignant after the Supreme Court verdict has not struck down Section 7 of the Act and therefore offers virtually no relief to the vulnerable millions who will need to provide the 12-digit biometric number to avail of government subsidies. The campaign will mark it as the National Action Day on Starvation Deaths with protests nationwide and on social media on the theme #BhookhKiBaat.

For full media kit (press release, factsheets, photos and parchas) based on today's public hearing, please click here to download. For more information, please contact Ashrafi Nand Prasad (7488609805) and James Herenj (9852910778) at rtfcjharkhand@gmail.com



Press release by Right to Food Campaign dated 28th September, 2018


Related Articles

 

Write Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

Video Archives

Archives

share on Facebook
Twitter
RSS
Feedback
Read Later

Contact Form

Please enter security code
      Close