Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Gopal Bhargava on Thursday admitted in the Assembly that several complaints are being received over the delay of disbursal of pension amount to various categories of beneficiaries including poor, helpless, elderly and disabled. “The Government is taking steps to ensure that the same is distributed in time. The regime will organise gram sabhas across the state next month and ensure that not a single eligible person is deprived of pension or other benefits of government schemes,” said Bhargava while replying to a calling attention notice by independent member Dinesh Rai.
Raising the matter, Rai alleged that poor, helpless, elderly and disabled are being deprived of pension amount, ration cards are not being made for poor and applications submitted by poor are not being considered. He claimed that patwaris make observations with regards to applications without inspecting the spot.
Bhargava said the regime is mulling over the distribution of pension amount from ration shops by using machines installed there. This facility would be in place in April. “If it is not possible, the dispensation would make arrangements for pension to be distributed through panchayats or civic bodies. Besides, the Government has decided to fix responsibilities of the concerned officials of the district panchayat and the janpad panchayat and take strict action against them,” he said.
Mentioning about the member’s assembly segment, Seoni, the Minister said the payment of pension for the month of February has already been made. However, if the member informs a particular case, the matter would be looked into and the amount would be distributed.
