Until the delinking, 33,191 old age pension beneficiaries and 9,799 disability pension beneficiaries were being deprived of the enhanced pension rates, as per the department’s estimate. (Illustration: C R Sasikumar) Until the delinking, 33,191 old age pension beneficiaries and 9,799 disability pension beneficiaries were being deprived of the enhanced pension rates, as per the department’s estimate. (Illustration: C R Sasikumar)

District-level officers are “turning away” pension beneficiaries who do not have their bank accounts linked with Aadhaar, the Delhi government’s Social Welfare Department has observed, warning that doing so will invite administrative action for officers responsible.

Social Welfare Department Secretary Rashmi Krishnan made the observation in a circular dated September 20, nearly two months after the Delhi Cabinet approved the department’s proposal to delink Aadhaar with pension benefits.

“It is a matter of regret that some district officers are reported to have been behaving in the most callous and insensitive manner by turning away people for non-availability/non-linking of the Aadhaar number. It may be noted that such behaviour… is not acceptable and any complaint received to this effect shall be viewed seriously and may render the officers/officials concerned liable to appropriate administrative action,” Krishnan wrote.

While the need for Aadhaar seeding may have been done away for now, the department will depute anganwadi workers to gather the Aadhaar numbers of beneficiaries whose names are not in the list of those who have already linked Aadhar with their bank accounts.

The exercise, for which anganwadi workers will be paid Rs 50 per beneficiary, will be completed within six months.

The collection process will also help verify the “living status as well as residence status” of these cases. In cases where Aaadhaar is to be assigned to a beneficiary, anganwadi workers will help provide necessary information to the beneficiaries concerned, a note signed by Krishnan to the Cabinet stated.

“Further, verification of the beneficiaries would be made mandatory at least once a year so as to regularly weed out the dead, duplicate and migrated cases. This verification may be done through biometric authentication or physical inspection or other means…” the note added. The note also proposed delinking of Aadhaar from pension benefits, which has been approved. The Cabinet observed that other proposals, such as the one on collection of Aadhaar numbers, does not require its approval.

The Delhi government pays Rs 2,000 per month to beneficiaries of old-age pension aged between 60 and 69, and Rs 2,500 to those who are 70 and above. This assistance is available to all senior citizens who have been residents of Delhi for at least five years, and have a family income of Rs 1 lakh per annum or less.

Disability pension is Rs 2,500 per month. Until the delinking, 33,191 old age pension beneficiaries and 9,799 disability pension beneficiaries were being deprived of the enhanced pension rates, as per the department’s estimate.

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