Karnataka government should not delay pensions for the old and needy: H.D. Kumaraswamy

Former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy urges State Government to not delay pensions for the needy, citing a shocking incident of an elderly woman crawling 5 km to seek pension.

Urging the State Government not to delay pensions to the needy, former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Sunday, January 14, said that a senior citizen crawling for five km to seek pension has shaken the conscience of the civil society.

Expressing shock and sadness over the incident, he said that the government should not ignore such helpless people. While the State government has been claiming to have improved the livelihood of people in the State through guarantee schemes, the Davangere incident is an example of the way livelihood is derailing in the State, the former Chief Minister said. “The incident has made us hang our heads in shame and points to the inefficiency of the government.”

His statement on social media platform X came after reports appeared in the media of an elderly woman, belonging to Kunibelakere village in Harihar taluk of Davangere district, crawling for five km to seek old age pension .

Questioning the government over the incident, he asked: “It is a different matter to provide ₹2,000 per month to women. But what will happen to many such old women? It is the duty of those in the administration to help people who are in distress. Does the government not have empathy on such people? The government should immediately come to the rescue of the woman.”

While the government is implementing its guarantee schemes, it is also its duty to release pensions that help old and poor women, and widow pensions on time. A Davangere-like incident should not get repeated elsewhere in the State, he added.

Recalling his tenure as chief minister, Mr. Kumaraswamy said that he had launched several schemes to economically empower senior citizens, differently abled, widows and Devadasis among others.