Special category pension beneficiaries in the State have been suffering following loopholes in the assessment and distribution of disability certificates. The whole process has been facilitated by Software for Assessment of Disabled Access Rehabilitation and Empowerment (SADAREM) across the state for quite some time under the watchful eyes of the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP).
After the State government announced its intention to increase pension benefits to disabled persons three-fold in October 2014, the disability certificates issued by SADAREM were made compulsory for the beneficiary to receive pension. However, there have been several hundred cases in which the certificates have not been issued though their disability was assessed by medical-officers. In the city, about six SADAREM camps have been functioning to assess and issue certificate to beneficiaries.
Several beneficiaries could not get earlier pension amounts following laxity in disbursing certificates by the service provider concerned. Anjamma from Karwan area, partially paralysed, did not get her disability certificate though her physical assessment was done in July 2014. She said that SADAREM operators advised her to visit her concerned MRO office but it did not yield any result. She has not been able to trace the certificate.
Similarly one Pasha from Asifnagar, who has been running for pillar to post to get his certificate from the SADAREM, said that even after two months of the assessment, the certificate was not issued to him.
SADAREM operators claim that the assessment has been going on in a smooth manner and disbursement has been completed with only few certificates left for disposal.
SADAREM service providers say that certificates of disability are generated at the same hospital where the assessment is done and laminated certificates are sent to the Collector office to be sent to beneficiaries through speed post. As per the information provided by SADAREM, from the six camps in the city about 8,784 handicapped people have been assessed, of which 7,002 stood eligible. About 800 certificates have been kept for disbursement with the SADAREM operators, sources said.
Sources in the SERP said after loopholes came to light, awareness was being generated through flexies and people have been asked to register their complaints if they face any difficulties. SADAREM operators have not been uploading pictures of issued certificates on the website which sends alert to the beneficiary, sources allege. Vikalangula Hakkula Porata Samithi leader K Rambabu blamed SADAREM operators for delay and difficulties faced by beneficiaries.
After the State government announced its intention to increase pension benefits to disabled persons three-fold in October 2014, the disability certificates issued by SADAREM were made compulsory for the beneficiary to receive pension. However, there have been several hundred cases in which the certificates have not been issued though their disability was assessed by medical-officers. In the city, about six SADAREM camps have been functioning to assess and issue certificate to beneficiaries.
Several beneficiaries could not get earlier pension amounts following laxity in disbursing certificates by the service provider concerned. Anjamma from Karwan area, partially paralysed, did not get her disability certificate though her physical assessment was done in July 2014. She said that SADAREM operators advised her to visit her concerned MRO office but it did not yield any result. She has not been able to trace the certificate.
Similarly one Pasha from Asifnagar, who has been running for pillar to post to get his certificate from the SADAREM, said that even after two months of the assessment, the certificate was not issued to him.
SADAREM operators claim that the assessment has been going on in a smooth manner and disbursement has been completed with only few certificates left for disposal.
SADAREM service providers say that certificates of disability are generated at the same hospital where the assessment is done and laminated certificates are sent to the Collector office to be sent to beneficiaries through speed post. As per the information provided by SADAREM, from the six camps in the city about 8,784 handicapped people have been assessed, of which 7,002 stood eligible. About 800 certificates have been kept for disbursement with the SADAREM operators, sources said.
Sources in the SERP said after loopholes came to light, awareness was being generated through flexies and people have been asked to register their complaints if they face any difficulties. SADAREM operators have not been uploading pictures of issued certificates on the website which sends alert to the beneficiary, sources allege. Vikalangula Hakkula Porata Samithi leader K Rambabu blamed SADAREM operators for delay and difficulties faced by beneficiaries.
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