Shabnam, formerly a teacher, is our Community Correspondent from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. Being denied a much-deserved scholarship for completing matriculation with first division just because she came from a Muslim family did not stop Shabnam from pursuing higher education. Now the first graduate in her family, Shabnam believes that she has fulfilled her father’s dreams. Threatened by her progressive educational background,…

Shabnam Begum

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In this episode of Awaz Ho Buland, we examine the state of welfare programs like old age pensions and how are they benefitting the people. 

Our Community Correspondent Harishankar Gupta reports from Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh about 10 families not receiving their old age pension. One of the beneficiary couple are childless and do not have anyone to support them, financially or otherwise. It is estimated that in India, the elderly population doubled in the last 20 years. Whereas the world average is 100 years. The rate at which India's population is ageing the government will soon have to devise innovative ways to distribute welfare schemes to the elderly. 

Some of the prosperous states like Goa, Haryana, Delhi give out Rs. 2000 per month as old age pension whereas poorer states have pension amounts less than Rs. 1000 per month. The bigger question is whether these amounts are enough to survive with rising living costs?

Saroj Kumar Rawani, our Community Correspondent from Chatra in Jharkhand reports about elderly people who have reached the age of 75 but still don't have their pension schemes started. All eligible beneficiaries submitted their documents 4-5 years ago. Despite this, the pension hasn't started for them. 

In Chhattisgarh's Bhanpuri village, our Community Correspondent Khirendra Yadav reports that 35 of the 60 residents have not received their pension for the past two years. Ever since the pandemic began, the government has stopped their pension benefits. A similar issue was reported by Deena Ganvir, our Community Correspondent from Chhattisgarh.

See all episodes of Awaz Ho Buland here.