Srinagar, Apr 24: Finance Department notification asking all the pensioners to present themselves before concerned treasury officers has drawn flak.
 Terming the circular as “unwarranted” and “uncalled for” the pensioners said the notification has ignored the “sick and bedridden pensioners” who obviously cannot come to the treasuries.
 “It is unfortunate that while framing the circular, the department has not taken into consideration the fact that a large number of pensioners who are bed ridden or sick cannot visit the treasuries,” they said.
 Pertinently, the state government notification issued in this behalf provides that all the “pensioners drawing monthly pension through various J&K Bank branches, have to necessarily present themselves before the concerned Treasury Officer for authenticating that the pensioner is alive.”

Hectic process
 The pensioners said it has become hectic for them to get their documents verified at the treasury. “It is not just presenting yourself before the treasury officer. There is a hectic and time-consuming process that you have to undergo while getting your papers verified,” they aid.
 The pensioners said there remains lot of rush at the treasuries as only one or two officials have been assigned the job of verification much “to our inconvenience”.
 This reporter saw a large queue of pensioners at treasury Tankipora. Muhammad Ramzan, 72- year old pensioner said: “I am confused why I need to personally present myself before the treasury officer to prove that I am alive, when a certificate duly attested by a gazetted officer can prove it that I can produce before the bank.”
 “I am taking pension for last 14 years. Till now I have never been through this hectic process. But today one of my friends told me about this verification and I have come here.”
 According to the notification, pensioners are required to bring along copy of the pension book maintained by the bank where the pensioner has been drawing the pension.
 Ironically, none of the pensioners is well in advance aware about the formalities he or she is required to complete before presenting in person before the treasury officers.
 The pensioners alleged that through the notification “we have been subjected to a great inconvenience.”
 “The treasury office has no space where we could sit and wait for our turn to get the documents verified. We are treated like herds,” said a pensioner at Tankipora treasury.
 “At the treasuries, there is none to assist us. Some pensioners don’t know that they have to fetch the pension book from the bank first and then present the same before the treasury officer. They directly come to the treasury only to come to known that they had to get the book from the bank,” the pensioners said.
 They said, “It would have been better if the pensioners were asked to come as per a calendar fixed by the department so as to spare us from any inconvenience.”

Official Speak
 Director General, Accounts and Treasuries, Wali Muhammad Bhat said: “It is a law that the pensioners have to present themselves before treasury officers so that the officer is sure that the pensioner is alive.”
 “Usually most of the pensioners withdraw the pension through ATMs and there is no verification whether the pensioner is dead or alive,” he said.
 Bhat said the sick and bed-ridden pensioners need not visit the treasuries. “For those who are bedridden or sick, treasury officers will send officials to their home for verification,” Bhat assured.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 24 Apr 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 IST