Thiruvananthapuram, 07 August (H.S.):Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday strongly criticised the UDF government’s decision to discontinue the doorstep delivery of social security pensions through cooperative institutions, alleging that the move would severely affect elderly, differently-abled and economically vulnerable beneficiaries.
In a Facebook post, Vijayan said Kerala’s social security pension distribution system had emerged as a model for the country and accused the government of attempting to dismantle a mechanism that ensured pension payments reached beneficiaries directly at their homes.
He alleged that the latest government order ending doorstep pension distribution through cooperative societies was the first step in a broader UDF agenda to gradually weaken and eventually dismantle the welfare pension system.
Vijayan pointed out that beneficiaries who receive pensions at their doorstep instead of through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) are largely people who remain outside the formal banking service network. A substantial number of them belong to economically and socially disadvantaged sections, while many are elderly or face health-related difficulties that make accessing banks challenging.
The new order would therefore deal a serious blow to people who require greater support and care from society, he said.
Vijayan alleged that the decision reflected what he described as a right-wing approach that viewed social security pensions as government charity rather than an essential welfare measure.
Ending the existing distribution mechanism and forcing elderly and differently-abled beneficiaries to find alternative ways to collect their pensions amounted to grave injustice, he said.
The Opposition leader demanded that the government immediately withdraw the order and restore the previous system of delivering pensions directly to the homes of all beneficiaries who require the facility through cooperative institutions.
He urged the government to ensure that administrative changes did not create additional hardships for Kerala’s most vulnerable sections.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
