Delay in pension payments make govt pensioners anxious

Kakinada: The government pensioners including family pensioners of Andhra Pradesh have been facing a lot of problems and hardships due to late payment of pension beyond the first week of every month. It is learnt that many retired persons are visiting treasury offices enquiring about the delay in pension payment and are under the false impression that the delay is due to non-submission of life certificate. As some of them don't know how to submit life certificate online, they are running to Sub Treasury offices for submitting the certificates.

According to district treasury officials, there are more than 17,000 pensioners in Kakinada district and every month, about Rs 70.40 crore would be released towards their pension. They stated that pension payment was delayed only for the last two months, but some are getting on second or third day of the month while others are getting a little later. All the data relating to the month was already submitted to the government and waiting for the funds to be released, they added.

On the other hand, the UGC pensioners are cursed a lot as they were not paid arrears from January 1, 2016. And many of the senior UGC teachers have demised without receiving arrears. The YSRCP government had cancelled the already granted Additional Quantum of Pension (AQP) and the teachers are forced to seek AP High Court's intervention in restoring the old AQP. The matter is still pending with the AP High Court.

Radha Prasad, a retired lecturer, alleged that the State government is diverting all the funds for social schemes and depriving the government pensioners of their arrears and causing delay in payment of monthly pension.

Speaking to The Hans India, APSG Retired Employees Association, Kakinada president K Padmanabham demanded the government payment of pension on the first of every month without fail. He said that their pension was delayed last month also. He stated that payment of DAs since July, 2018 is pending. Besides payment of pension on first of every month, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy should pay their DA promptly regularly without making any delay, he demanded.

A retired employee, Subbaiah criticised that the government is spending money in large amounts towards division of more districts and enormous salaries to advisers, who are misleading the government. If the government doesn't pay heed to the pleas of the elderly retired people. the fate of the government would go into the hands of hooligans and ruthless people, he added.

peaking to The Hans India, District Treasury Officer N Srinivasulu said that December month pension, that should be paid on January 1, was not paid to anyone. He stated that after bifurcation, Kakinada has six sub-treasury offices with 20,000 pensioners as well as service pensioners. 'Every month, Rs 7.40 crore will be released towards pension. The entire data of pensions of the retired people has already submitted to the government,' he informed. The treasure officer asked the pensioners not to get disheartened as their pension amount will be deposited in one or two days.

Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema District Treasury Officer B Ramanath told The Hans India that they have no authentic information regarding the payment of pension. He stated that they should contact the STO office for further details.