Pension delay pains elders

“We have never had this problem before. We don’t know why we didn’t get the money for the past two months. We are running from pillar to post to meet our expenses,” said a pensioner. 

While the pensioners barged into the bank, they were forced out with no solution to their plight. “Meenakshi (name changed), a 96-year-old has been living with me as her two sons have deserted her. I have no family and we both live together. Both of us depend on our pension amount. However, with no money for the past two months, we have been struggling to make ends meet,” said Shanthi, another pensioner and a resident of Korrukupet, who accompanied Meenakshi to the bank. 

Stating that they do not have anybody to depend on, Meenakshi, who had settled down on the footpath outside the bank, tired and dehydrated, said, “Who can we turn to when in need? When we approached the JJ Nagar SBI branch, where we were receiving the money, they asked us to approach the Royapuram branch to get our pension amount.”

With hope that they would get their pension amount, many elderly people like Meenakshi, had travelled from far away locations to reach the bank.

Pleading with everyone who passed by for help, they asked for action to be taken against the bank. “When Meenakshi approached the officials, they told her that her fingerprint could not be recognised by the system and finding a solution would take them time,” Shanthi added. 

Stating that the banks face similar issues regarding pension every year during November, Kasi Rajkumar, Assistant General Manager of SBI, said, “Pensioners who collect the money from banks should submit a copy of their life certificate to the bank in November every year. More often, they tend to forget to do so which makes it difficult for the bank to keep a track on those who are still alive. While the pension is expected to be credited on Wednesday, those who have not submitted their certificates will not get the amount until they submit a life certificate. It usually takes 15 days for the banks to release the pension after they submit their certificates.”