SRINAGAR: In order to ensure transparency and avoid delays in the disbursement of pension to the eligible Old aged, Widows and physically challenged persons, the State Administrative Council (SAC) which met under the chairmanship of Governor, Satya Pal Malik approved Aadhaar linked payment mode for disbursement of pension to the beneficiaries under various Centrally / State sponsored schemes.
SAC directed that Deputy Commissioners shall undertake rigorous re-scrutinization of all the pending pension cases in the district so that no eligible beneficiary viz old aged, widow or differently-abled person is left out and denied the benefit of the pension schemes. All eligible cases duly supported by Aadhaar numbers will be forwarded by the DCs to the respective Directorates of Social Welfare by July 31, 2019.
The respective Directorates of Social Welfare shall ensure that the process of Aadhaar Seeding and consequent de-duplication and weeding out of in-eligible cases is expedited and the process concluded by September 30, 2019.
SAC also directed the Social Welfare Department to compile, in addition, a list of all widows below 40 years of age, not covered under the ongoing schemes.
It is noteworthy to mention that the Social Welfare Department is providing monthly pension to the beneficiaries in the State under two schemes i.e. National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) which is blend of Centre Share and State Share and Integrated Social Security Scheme (ISSS).
A large number of pending pension cases, non-coverage of eligible persons/widows and delay in disbursement of monthly pension are some of the issues that have been reported from time to time in particular during the recently concluded Back to Village Programme.
It would be the endeavor of the Government to cover all eligible persons under the various social security schemes including National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) and Integrated Social Security Scheme (ISSS).
