Tribal woman spends half of her widow pension to receive it

Berhampur: A 70-year-old woman from tribal-dominated Gajapati district spends around Rs 500 to Rs 600 every month to receive Rs 1,000 as her widow pension under the state-sponsored Madhu Babu Pension Scheme (MBPS).

Bagi Sabar of Kaithapada village under Mohana block's Govindapur panchayat, travels to Chhelagada panchayat in R Udayagiri block, about 60 km away, in an auto-rickhshaw to collect her pension from the panchayat office every month. Since there is no direct communication from her village, Kaithapada to Chhelagada, she hires an auto-rickhshaw to go to the panchayat office to get the pension.

While the auto-rickhshaw charged around Rs 400 to Rs 500, she also spends money on the person who accompanies her, as she is unable to go alone due to old age.

Sources said Bagi's family resided in Chhelagada for several years after moving from Kaithapada, where her husband, Suratana Sabar, was into business. After her husband's death, the woman, along with her two sons, one of whom is mentally ill, stayed in Chhelagada. Her name was enrolled in the list of beneficiaries in MBPS in R Udayagiri panchayat.

She, however, shifted to her own village, Kaithapada, while her sons lived separately. As the pension is her only source of income, she goes to Chhelagada accompanied by a person to collect her pension every month. The elderly woman receives free food grains under Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) scheme from her own panchayat in Govindapur. Her other communication address is also in Kaithapada. "I have requested the panchayat officials at Chhelagada to shift my pension account to Govindapur so that I can receive my monthly pension easily," she said. Her request is yet to be granted, she added. "Though she moved out of the panchayat several years ago, the govt record is yet to be updated about her relocation. Therefore, her pension continues to be disbursed in Chhelagada," said an officer.

Collector (Gajapati) Bijay Kumar Dash said he would direct the concerned block development officers to resolve the matter. "There is no problem in shifting the name of a beneficiary under MBPS from one block or panchayat to another block and panchayat," he said.