More than one lakh cases are pending under different welfare schemes for old-age persons in J&K, an official in Social Welfare Department said, adding theey were struggling to clear the pendency owing to paucity of funds.
The department provides pension under two schemes –Integrated Social Security Scheme (ISSS) and National Social Assistance Program(NSAP.
Under ISSS the department is providing financial assistanceto over two lakh beneficiaries, but it still has to cater to financial needs ofover one lakh people who are in the pendency list from past many years.
Under the ISSS scheme, launched in 1995, a monthlyassistance of Rs 1,000 is provided to beneficiaries including old age people,divorcees, destitute, widows, persons with disability and people living belowpoverty line.
Similarly, under the NSAP the department has a pendency ofover 50,000 cases. It however is providing cash assistance to over 70,000beneficiaries. Under the scheme each beneficiary, in the age group of 60 andabove are provide monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,000.
A person living below poverty line, with “severe or multipledisability” in the age group of 18 and above under this scheme.
Under National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) the departmenthas a pendency of 9000 cases. Under this scheme, a widow in the age group of40-79 is provided a monthly cash assistance of Rs 1000 while a family which haslost its bread earner is given onetime financial assistance of Rs 20000.
Last year the Department weeded out 8449 ineligible personin Kashmir division from the list of beneficiaries who were getting pensionunder NSAP and ISSS.