Srinagar, Mar 15: Ahead of Eid ul Fitr, many beneficiaries of the Integrated Social Security Scheme (ISSS) in Kashmir say they have not received their pension for the past three months.
The delay has left old age persons, persons with disabilities, transgenders, widows and destitute women struggling to meet daily needs.
Scores of beneficiaries who receive financial assistance from the J&K Social Welfare Department said the prolonged delay has pushed them into distress. Many said the pension is their only source of income.
An elderly woman selling basic items like towel in Zero Bridge in Srinagar said she lives alone and depends entirely on the monthly pension for survival.
“I have no one in my family and no other source of income. I used to manage food and basic needs through the pension,” she said.
She said the non release of funds for the past three months has made life extremely difficult. According to her, the rising cost of living has already made survival hard for people like her.
“In this expensive world it has become very difficult to survive. Earlier the pension helped me manage food. Now even that support has stopped,” she said.
The woman said she has been forced to spend long hours on the roadside selling clothes just to manage basic expenses.
Other beneficiaries also expressed similar concerns. They said the delay has created serious problems for those who rely fully on the government support.
A person with disability said the pension is meant for the most vulnerable sections of society and any delay directly affects their survival.
“When a common man with a regular salary struggles to meet daily expenses, how can an old age person or a disabled person survive without income,” he said.
Beneficiaries said the situation becomes even more difficult during festival season when household expenses increase.
They urged the J&K government to release the pending pension at the earliest so that they can prepare for Eid ul Fitr.
“We request the government to release our pension before Eid. This money is our only support,” another beneficiary said.
Officials in the Social Welfare Department also acknowledged the delay. An official said the department is currently facing shortage of funds.
“At present we do not have funds available. We are hopeful that the pension will be released before Eid,” the official said.
The Integrated Social Security Scheme provides monthly financial assistance to vulnerable groups including old age persons, persons with disabilities, widows, transgenders and destitute women across J&K. For many beneficiaries, the scheme remains the only financial support to meet their basic needs.
