Several slum dwellers not getting pension, other benefits: Survey

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government Social Welfare Department recently claimed that almost all pension holders in the Capital got their pension on the scheduled time and that no one has been deprived of the pension scheme.

However, a survey conducted in 17 slums revealed that over a majority, 62.6 per cent, of Delhi's elderly were not receiving pension and other old age benefits.

The Social Welfare Department had submitted detail reports and a CD, in the Assembly on March 28, in response to questions asked by Aam Aadmi Party MLA Parmila Tokas.

The director of the Department had then said that during 2016-17, for the various old age and pension schemes, there were 76,347 are active beneficiaries member. No-one was removed from this scheme.

The survey was conducted by Institute for Human Development, supported by Mahia Pragati Manch and CFAR, in 3,004 households across three districts of Delhi – North East, East and Shahdara.

Of the 14,339 people surveyed, 444 were persons with disabilities and 2,199 respondents were elderly persons.

Of the total elderly respondents, only 37.3 per cent said they were getting old age pension and the remaining 62.6 per cent said they were not receiving it and other old age benefits.

As many as 36.4 per cent (1,094) were female headed households (FHHH) and among them, 79 per cent were widows, two per cent had been abandoned and three per cent were single women. Of the 860 widows, 269 (31 per cent) were not getting a widow pension.

Among the 444 persons with disability, there were 64 children between the age group of six and 17, while 24 had never been enrolled in schools.

Of these 444 respondents, 268 had disability certificate and were getting pensions, while 176 did not have disability certificate and had no access to any schemes.

The survey questioned people's exclusion from social entitlements like education as well.

Of the 3,914 school going children respondents, 61 per cent (2,395) were attending government schools and 1,086 children or 28 per cent (1,086) were found to be dropouts.

Among the drop-outs, 36.3 (395) were not interested, 11.1 per cent (121) had failed, 11.6 per cent (126) were not attending schools to take care of siblings and family, 5.2 per cent (57) because they were often ill, and 2.3 per cent (25) left due to lack of proper facilities.