Review Centre’s ‘paltry’ share in pension for disabled: Parliamentary panel

NEW DELHI: A parliamentary panel has expressed deep concern and has strongly reiterated its recommendation for a review to enhance the central assistance of a mere Rs 300 under the Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS) for those in the below poverty line category in the age group of 17 -79 years and Rs 500 for those above 80.
The departmental standing committee on social justice and empowerment “calls attention to the absurdity of granting a meagre pension which given the current state of inflation, appears farcical”. The parliamentary panel in its report tabled in Parliament in the recently concluded winter session also highlights that it has noted in its earlier report that even the state contributions to the pension were inadequate.
According to data shared in July during the monsoon session of Parliament in response to a question in LokSabha the ministry of rural development (MoRD) which steers the IGNDPS under the National Social Assistance Programme shows that topups by states for the disability pension ranged from Rs 100 to around Rs 3,300 per month per beneficiary.
Citing data shared in response to a question in Rajya Sabha by MoRD, TOIhad reported in February that Mizoram was giving a mere Rs 100 every month under the state disability pension scheme to the 200 beneficiaries registered with it at that time. Telangana had the highest pension amount of Rs 3,016. In the Union Territory of Puducherry pension ranged from Rs 2,000 to a maximum of Rs 3,800.
Pertubed at the quantum of central assisttance, the 31 member parliamentary panel chaired by BJP member Rama Devi in its report in March had asked the department of empowerment of persons with disabilities of the social justice and empowerment ministry to take up this matter again with the ministry of rural development “to enhance the central assistance to a reasonable amount with the provision for periodic revision so that the poor and needy disabled persons get a decent amount of pension to fulfill their basic needs.”
In the recent report of the parliamentary panel as part of action taken on the earlier recommendations, DEPwD has said that the secretary took up the matter with MoRD through a letter in Februray and the matter was being followed up with them.
In response, the committee has reiterated their earlier recommendation and exhorted DEPwD to renew their efforts earnestly so that pension can be enhanced.
Meanwhile, in the monsoon session of Parliament in response to a question in Lok Sabha, MoRD had said that “there was no proposal to increase the pension amount under IGNDPS” and that the “States/UTs are, however, encouraged to provide top-ups over and above the central assistance”.