Letters to the Editor

Hit by an avalanche of unprecedented price hikes of essential commodities, that has threatened the very survival of pensioners, danger signals of yet another catastrophe now loom. A 'living certificate' will have to be submitted by all pensioners with effect from this month. Failure to do so would result in the suspension of pension, warns a letter sent by the Director of Pensions through Divisional Secretaries.

Hitherto, only birth/death certificates were issued by a Registrar. The new innovation of a 'living certificate' to be issued by Grama Sevaka (elevated to a position of a Registrar?), would be an added burden on the feeble pensioner. It is ironic that, when certain institutions grant concessions to senior citizens, the Director of Pensions had opted to treat them in this harsh manner.

A 'living certificate' is required to ascertain whether the said pensioner is actually dead, for, it is alleged that, some pensioners continue to draw the pension even after death! A person retiring at the age of 55 years, if he lives for another 20 years, will have to submit 40 'living certificates', when the actual requirement is a single death certificate at his demise.

The introduction of this 'living certificate' is a humiliation, denial of fundamental rights of the pensioner, as it is an impediment for him to draw his legitimate pension. Once in every six months, he will have to trudge to the Grama Sevaka, to obtain proof that he is still alive, and the GS, in his turn, will be armed with a 'donation list' or some such device, to 'tax' the hapless pensioner.

In a country where colossal amounts of public funds are embezzled by corrupt officials and high profile politicos, and the government turns a virtual blind eye to them it would be difficult to prevent the misuse of pension funds. Individual cases of fraud should be traced and culprits punished, without harassing the majority of pensioners, who are innocent.

I’m alive but barely kicking, so please sir give me my pension!