Srinagar, 13 Nov: After the department of Social Welfare recently asked old aged pensioners to submit the documents for the continuity of the availing the benefits of the pensioner’s scheme, the officials said so far they have not stopped the fund transfer to any of the beneficiaries and said the process will also help to weed out if any ‘Fake Beneficiary’ is found in the system.
Director Social Welfare Department Kashmir, told Rising Kashmir that the process of submitting the documents is not new, as the documents according to the scheme have to be submitted after every Five years for re-validation.
“This is not a new exercise, however, that was not actively being followed but this time we are making it online and the documents received from beneficiaries’ will be linked to their online profiles. The mechanism will also help in weeding out the fake beneficiaries from the system”, he said.
He said that so far, they have not stopped any fund transfer to any of the beneficiaries, stating that they are expecting the exercise completion by 31 Dec this year, however, he added that if in the case by any valid reason any beneficiary is not able to submit the documents, they will recommend to their higher-ups in government for extension date.
In a response to a question over the issuance of age certificates for elderly people with just one centre in Srinagar and other areas of the valley, the Director of the Social Welfare Department, Kashmir said the Age Certificates are to be issued by the health department, however, he stated that if there is anyone with any disability their department will facilitate the necessary requirements.
“We are in complete synergy with the Directorate of Health Service Kashmir (DHSK) and multiple teams are likely to be framed for issuance of Age Certificates where ever it is required. Though the process is existing but is being exercised as new I understand people may face difficulties but the process is eventually aimed at making it transparent and smooth”, he added.
In a statement issued by the Social Welfare Department on Sunday, they said that the department of social welfare vide order number 156-JK (SWD) of 2022 dated 08-09-2022 accorded sanction to the implementation of the Jammu and Kashmir Integrated Social Security Rules 2022.
The statement stated that as per these rules application for a grant of pension under the Integrated Social Security Scheme shall be submitted Online and beneficiaries shall no longer be required to visit Social Welfare Department offices.
“It has however been observed that some false propaganda is being spread that the department has asked the beneficiaries to attend the offices for getting a pension which is not true as the department has already Shifted to electronic mode of fund transfer whereby the beneficiaries are provided financial assistance through online mode directly into their bank accounts and are not required to visit any of the offices in this regard”, the statement added.
Notably, the Chief Medical officer (CMO) Srinagar on Saturday last week in a notification said that those applying for the purpose of issuance of the Age Certificates, can also apply through online mode for registration.
Pertinent to mention that in Srinagar over the past few days elderly people were seen waiting outside a health facility at Jawhar Nagar in long queues to get their age certificates from the health authorities which drew severe criticism from netizens questioning why only a single centre was set up for Srinagar for issuing the age certificates.
Meanwhile, an official from the health department earlier on Saturday told Rising Kashmir that the online process will start in the next few days as they are yet to receive the necessary login ids from the concerned department.
