Bedridden man awaits aid amid bureaucratic apathy

Simhadripuram (Kakinada District): Veera Venkata Satyanarayana has been fighting since 2017 for assistance under the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, rice under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana, and a pension meant for bedridden individuals.

Hailing from Simhadripuram in Jaggampeta constituency of Kakinada district, Satyanarayana met with a severe electric accident a decade ago, leaving him completely bedridden and visually impaired. Since then, he has been confined to his bed, awaiting aid that never arrived. His struggle highlights the urgent need for a more responsive and compassionate welfare system.

Struggling without money for medicines, urine bags, and basic family needs, Satyanarayana has repeatedly visited the Kakinada district collector’s office with the help of his family, seeking government aid. Despite multiple appeals and official recommendations, his requests have been ignored, leaving him in a dire situation.

In October 2017, district collector Kartikeya Mishra responded to his plea and recommended financial assistance from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF) through a letter to the assistant secretary to the Government (Revenue). However, no funds were sanctioned.

In August 2019, Satyanarayana once again approached the district administration, and the then collector Muralidhar Reddy forwarded another proposal to the government with the previous recommendation. Yet, even the collectors’ recommendations failed to bring any relief, leading to further disappointment.

In May 2023, during a public grievance meeting under the Spandana programme, Satyanarayana personally met the district collector, pleading with tears to grant him even a 35 kg rice allotment per month under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY). When this request also went unanswered, he was forced to write a letter seeking permission for euthanasia. Following this, Kirlampudi Mandal Tahsildar Rajagopal visited his home, assured him of justice, and promised help. However, to this day, nothing has changed.

When the NDA government came to power, it announced a pension of Rs 15,000 per month for bedridden individuals. With renewed hope, Satyanarayana applied for the scheme but has been waiting for ten months, only to be met with disappointment.

Social activist Patamsetti Surya Chandra strongly condemned the official apathy, calling it unfortunate that genuine beneficiaries like Satyanarayana are being denied the pension they rightfully deserve. During a public grievance visit to Simhadripuram in Kirlampudi Mandal, he witnessed the bedridden man’s plight. He stated that he had previously urged officials to take action, but they failed to act.

Surya Chandra demanded the government to approve Rs 15,000 pension for Satyanarayana by April. If the issue remains unresolved, he warned that starting April 7, he would stage a peaceful protest outside the Kakinada district collector’s Office along with Satyanarayana, until justice is served.

Speaking to ‘The Hans India,’ the victim Satyanarayana stated that officials are denying his pension because his disability percentage has been recorded as lower in official documents. He expressed his helplessness, saying that he did not know what had been written in the records. He urged the authorities to assess his actual condition rather than relying solely on the paperwork and to ensure justice was served.