Mangaluru: A statewide verification drive by the Karnataka govt has triggered widespread distress among Divyaang individuals (persons with disabilities) as they found their vital monthly pensions abruptly suspended over rigid economic criteria and documentation requirements.Across the state, out of a total of 83,11,493 registered social security pension beneficiaries, administrative scrutiny flagged 23,13,664 cases as doubtful, resulting in the temporary suspension of 18,45,805 pensions and the permanent cancellation of 91,152 benefits on grounds of alleged documentation gaps, unverified addresses, or exceeding income thresholds. Under govt orders that uniformly fixed an annual income ceiling of Rs 32,000, which previously stood at Rs 12,000 in rural areas and Rs 17,000 in urban areas, Divyaang beneficiaries whose families hold above poverty line (APL) ration cards or earn slightly above this limit are being disqualified from receiving their monthly support.Addressing this mounting crisis, the advocacy organisation Sakshama held a press meet on Friday, where they raised serious concerns about the issue and urged the state govt to take immediate action. Rajasekhara Bhat Kakunje, district president for the Dakshina Kannada wing of Sakshama and a father of a Divyaang beneficiary, stated, “The pension amount received by the beneficiaries ranged from Rs 800 to Rs 2,000, depending on the percentage of disability. However, the state govt has now stopped these payments and is re-verifying the legitimacy of the disabilities of those availing this pension.”Confronted with substantial, ongoing expenses for essential medicines, therapy, special care, and daily living costs, alongside significant barriers to securing employment, affected individuals are left with no regular financial safety net and are forced to repeatedly visit taluk and nada kacheri offices to prove their eligibility. Consequently, community advocates and welfare organisations are strongly calling on the administration to adopt an empathetic, humanitarian approach by eliminating the restrictive Rs 32,000 annual income ceiling, removing APL/BPL economic distinctions, and ensuring that the monthly pension is disbursed universally, with a person’s status as a Divyaang serving as the sole criterion for eligibility.Data to go along with the story:Total registered social security pension beneficiaries in the state: 83,11,493Number of pension beneficiaries flagged as doubtful by the administration: 23,13,664Number of pensions temporarily suspended: 18,45,805Number of pensions permanently cancelled: 91,152Uniform annual income limit set by the govt: Rs 32,000Previous annual income limit in rural areas: Rs 12,000Previous annual income limit in urban areas: Rs 17,000Range of monthly pension received based on percentage of disability: Rs 800 to Rs 2,000
