Widow pension rules must be simplified: Shankar Naik

Puttaparthi: The government must remove procedural hurdles denying social security pensions to eligible widows and single women, former Andhra Pradesh State ST Commission Member and Girijana Praja Samakhya Founder and National President Vadithya Shankar Naik said.

Speaking at Shilparamam in Puttaparthi on Friday, Shankar Naik questioned the requirement in the online pension system that widows and single women should be at least 50 years old to qualify. He asked whether widowhood or loneliness could be linked to a particular age. He said women, who lose their husbands or live without family support, face financial and social hardships irrespective of their age. Imposing a 50-year limit for widow pensions, he argued, defeats the purpose of providing targeted social security and makes it difficult for genuinely needy women to access assistance. Shankar Naik also raised concerns over discrepancies between the document checklist issued by village and ward Secretariats and requirements in the online application system. Poor women are reportedly being asked to submit documents such as electricity bills, voter IDs and house-tax receipts. He questioned how a woman living in a rented house could produce an electricity bill in her own name or a house-tax receipt when she does not own property. Such requirements, he said, were forcing applicants to repeatedly visit government offices.

He urged the government to align the Secretariat and online requirements, introduce alternative verification mechanisms, remove unnecessary age restrictions and provide adequate time for applications instead of imposing a 10-day deadline.

Shankar Naik said no eligible widow or single woman should be denied social security merely because of technical or procedural requirements.

He added that Girijana Praja Samakhya would continue to raise the issue until justice was delivered. Vikranth Naik, Hari Naik, Somla Naik, Babji Naik, Ravi Naik and other community leaders were also present.

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