Puri: Government claims of women’s empowerment under the Subhadra Yojana ring hollow as an elderly woman was injured while travelling to a bank to withdraw her pension.
She was rescued by locals, taken to a nearby hospital and later dropped off at home. The injured woman has been identified as 83-year-old Sukanti Dei of Balapur panchayat under Satyabadi block.
Not only Sukanti, but many elderly people like her face difficulties in reaching banks. Some hire autos, others depend on buses, some travel on bicycles, while others walk with the help of a stick. The situation is even worse for persons with disabilities.
Despite repeated demands to deliver pension money to beneficiaries’ doorsteps, the government has not responded.
Sukanti suffers from blood pressure-related ailments and depends on her pension for medicines. The incident drew attention on social media, prompting the administration to act.
Later that night, Satyabadi BDO Debashish Nayak and a representative of local sarpanch Priyanka Panda, Mantu Panda, visited her house and provided Rs 10,000 as government assistance. They also assured that her pension would be delivered at her doorstep in the near future.
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