GHMC Officials Investigate Unclaimed Aasara Pensions in Rajendranagar
In Rajendranagar, many elderly and disabled individuals have been waiting years for their Aasara pension applications to be approved. However, it has come to light that several beneficiaries, whose pensions were credited to their bank accounts, have not withdrawn the funds for months. This issue was discovered on Thursday when GHMC officials began contacting beneficiaries to check their status.
Officials from the Urban Community Development (UCD) section began making calls to individuals after noticing that many pension payments remained untouched in bank accounts. A list of 300 such beneficiaries was sent to the GHMC Rajendranagar circle by higher authorities, who instructed local officials to investigate the matter. Notably, there are 14,660 Aasara pension beneficiaries within the Rajendranagar GHMC area.
The officials are now tasked with determining why these funds have not been withdrawn. It has been reported that many beneficiaries, including disabled pensioners, have passed away over the years without their families submitting death certificates to close the accounts. As a result, pension amounts continue to be credited monthly, sitting unclaimed. Additionally, some beneficiaries may be unaware that the funds are being deposited into their bank accounts, leading to confusion.
GHMC officials are taking proactive steps to resolve the issue. They are calling beneficiaries to confirm whether they are alive and receiving their pensions. Unfortunately, many calls go unanswered, raising concerns about the whereabouts of the beneficiaries. Those who do respond are being asked to visit their local GHMC office with a copy of their Aadhaar card to verify their identity and confirm they are still eligible for the pension.
The issue has also highlighted challenges faced by individuals awaiting pension approval. Musa, a disabled man from Rajendranagar, shared his frustration, saying, “After applying for a disabled pension under the Aasara scheme four years ago, I kept waiting for approval but to no avail. Despite making several visits to the local GHMC office, my application is still pending with the DRDO Ranga Reddy.”
Currently, there are 197,742 beneficiaries across nine categories receiving pensions under the Aasara scheme in the Ranga Reddy district. Among the 44 mandals, Rajendranagar and Saroornagar have the highest number of beneficiaries, with 14,660 and 12,143, respectively. The ongoing investigation aims to address unclaimed pensions and ensure that eligible individuals receive their rightful benefits.
