Bandipora, Dec 20: The Jammu and Kashmir chapter of Aam Aadmi party on Tuesday came down heavily on government after death of an elderly man while waiting in queue to submit documents for old age pension.
In a statement issued to Rising Kashmir, Chairman Media Coordination Committee of AAP in Jammu and Kashmir, Dr. Nawab Nasir said the Integrated Social Security Scheme is a new hardship created for masses of Jammu and Kashmir by Government and death of an elderly man waiting in queue is an indication of struggle of aged people waiting to get themselves registered.
Dr. Nawab said that Jammu and Kashmir UT is unlike other UTs or states as it is a region of tough topographic conditions and people struggle hard to reach government offices to avail benefit of schemes.
He said that Jammu and Kashmir Government has recently rolled out ISSS meant for providing financial aid and social security to aged citizens, widow women, transgenders and specially-abled people but the process devised for application under the scheme is based on a wide range of formalities.
“A common man has to trek several kilometres to reach the Government office for completion of formality and this all is full of hardships and with this a wide range of formalities kept mandatory for applying in the scheme, takes too much of time. Government should find an easier way into this.” said Dr. Nawab.
He further added that the only thing which the government has done so far is assigning the task of issuing affidavits to executive magistrates also alongside judicial magistrate but all other long formalities are still there.
Dr. Nawab said that in a shocking incident, an elderly man died while waiting in a queue to submit an old age pension form in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district on Tuesday which shows that the aspirants have to face immense hardships and the government is completely a mute spectator to it.
He asked the Jammu and Kashmir Government to simplify the process for enrollment under ISSS so that poor people do not suffer and genuine beneficiaries can be easily screened and they can apply for the scheme.
