An 80-year-old woman in Odisha’s Keonjhar district had to crawl nearly 2 kilometers to the panchayat office on Saturday to collect her old-age pension, highlighting a serious oversight in the implementation of government welfare policies. Despite a directive mandating the delivery of allowances to the homes of elderly and disabled beneficiaries, Pathuri Dehury of Raisuan gram panchayat was forced to make the arduous journey due to inaction from local officials.
A Struggle for Survival
Pathuri Dehury, who suffers from age-related ailments that hinder her mobility, expressed her frustration at being compelled to make the difficult trip. “We rely on the pension money for our daily expenses. The panchayat extension officer (PEO) insisted I come to the office to collect my pension. With no one showing up to deliver it to my home, I had no choice but to crawl to the panchayat office,” she recounted, visibly shaken by the experience.
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80-year-old woman was forced to crawl nearly 2 km to panchayat office in Telkoi block of Odisha’s Keonjhar to collect her old-age pension, despite a government directive to deliver the allowances to homes of elderly and disabled beneficiaries.@CMO_Odisha @BJP4Odisha… pic.twitter.com/DbtXXIrU74
— Siddhant Anand (@JournoSiddhant) September 24, 2024
Local Officials Respond
Following public outcry over the incident, local officials have promised to rectify the situation. Bagun Champia, the sarpanch of Raisuan, confirmed that after learning about Pathuri’s ordeal, they instructed the PEO and supply assistants to ensure that her allowances and rations will be delivered directly to her home starting next month. “We have directed PEOs to disburse allowances to beneficiaries who are unable to reach gram panchayat offices,” said Geeta Murmu, the Block Development Officer (BDO) of Telkoi.
A Call for Change
This incident has raised concerns about the effective implementation of welfare programs aimed at supporting the elderly and disabled. As the government emphasizes the need for accessibility and care for its most vulnerable citizens, the situation underscores the necessity for local authorities to uphold these mandates diligently.
Pathuri’s experience serves as a poignant reminder of the challenges faced by the elderly in rural areas, where mobility can be severely limited by health conditions and inadequate infrastructure. The hope remains that this incident will prompt a review of practices to ensure that all beneficiaries receive the support they require without undue hardship.
