Question : Disbursement of Old Age- Disability and Widow Pensions

(a) whether the Government proposes to organise a training programme for bankers to resolve technical issues related to disbursement of old age, disability and widow pensions and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the details of other issues including the hurdles cropping up on account of Aadhaar linking and seeding thereunder;

(c) whether the pension beneficiaries are forced to visit either banks or social welfare offices to claim their increased amount of pension;

(d) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard so far; and

(e) if not, the reasons therefor?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI RAM KRIPAL YADAV)

(a) to (e): Resolution of technical issues, if and when faced by the Banks, in dealing with assistance being disbursed through them is an ongoing process. No Bank has raised any issue related to any specific training requirement for their human resources for handling the pension issues.

Government has adopted the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Scheme for direct transfer of benefit into the bank/post office accounts of beneficiaries of schemes under National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP). Instructions have been issued to the States for getting the due consent for seeding the Aadhaar details. Instructions also mention that disbursement of pension of any beneficiary could not be affected due to non availability of Aadhaar number. Further, NSAP guidelines provide that given their physical, social and economic vulnerability, States should ensure that an infirm/old beneficiary will not have to travel far distance to access his/her pension account. As far as possible, for people who cannot cover distance physically, the objective is to provide door step delivery.

Several Banks in many states are using the services of Bank Sakhi’s coming from self help groups to provide cost effective solutions for delivery of pensions at home.

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