Bhubaneswar: The financial burden of a family is relaxed to an extent by the allowances provided for old age, differently abled, or widow allowance. In a poor household, the everyday expenditure is managed through this financial assistance along with the wages they earn from daily labour. But for 2 years, an 80 year old woman has not been able to get her old age allowance. Earlier it was given in hands of the beneficiaries but now it has been digitized to make the process easy and flexible. But this digitalization has become a matter of hurdle for the old beneficiaries. As per this process, the money comes directly to the bank account. So the process of digital registration becomes painful for the old beneficiaries to run around to the BMC office time and again.
There are similar cases as the above mentioned old lady, who are facing the pain to receive their allowance. The old women have no support from the family, some are in such a bad situation that they are unable to walk till the BMC office. Many such case studies state that the women are unable to run their house as their money is held due to this process. The old women who used to be working as domestic helps and cannot work now due to old age are facing acute financial issues to maintain their everyday needs.
One of the old women, from Bhubaneswar Salia Sahi named Susila says, after taking help from a young man from the village when she reached the BMC office, they are saying the site is not opening. She waited for three hours then returned back helpless.
The developments, digitalization and benefits are made for the betterment of the people. But there has to be a proper way so that these welfare schemes can easily be reached out by the beneficiaries at all levels.
-OdishaAge
