Hyderabad: Disabled resent pension delay, to protest today

Hyderabad: Unhappy over the inordinate delay in disbursement of Aasara pensions to disabled people and also delay in approval of applications pending since 2019, the physically challenged persons under the banner of Telangana Disabled Welfare Society (TDWS) have planned a protest at Dharna Chowk, Indira Park on August 31 to raise the issue.

"There are at least two lakh applications of Aasara pensions pending since 2019 in the State. The government seeks new application from eligible persons cutting down the age limit under the scheme while already existing beneficiary are not getting pensions on time," rued Syed Afroz, TDWS president.

"We were left with no other option but to hold a protest to bring the plight of the disabled to the government's notice more assertively," he said, adding that "as long as our issues remain unsolved, we will continue to hit the roads with voices raised against the injustice."

"Despite several reminders, authorities are not at all paying heed to the woes and misery of the disabled people in the State. At times we went to bring our issue to the government's notice, we found ourselves barking up the wrong tree. Throwing all promises made to disabled people at the time of elections in to thin air, the government has now turned a complete blind eye to our issues. This has forced us to raise voice against injustice," bemoaned G Yadgiri, vice-president of the society.

"The only benefit the disabled are getting from the government is the Aasra pension. This dole was not released on time. As against the cut out date of fifth of every month, the pensions are being released only after 20th. While the disabled are not getting their dole on time, think about the applicants waiting to see approval of their application for several years," said Mohd Yousuf, a representative of the society.

It is said that there were a total of 482,409 disabled are getting benefitted through Aasara pensions in the State. However, over 11 lakh people, including disabled, are still waiting to get the dole from the government, despite securing SADARAM certificates considered essential to benefit under the scheme. Only Hyderabad and Rangareddy districts have 28,228 and 26,394 disabled persons respectively.