Elderly face uphill battle to receive pensions

Visakhapatnam: Elderly persons from Non-Scheduled Tribal tribes living in tribal villages under Rolugunta mandal in the Anakapalle district are facing difficulty in getting their pensions. These senior citizens are being forced to travel several kilometers to nearby gram panchayats in order to pick up their pensions due to inadequate road infrastructure and a lack of volunteer or official distribution services.

A recent case highlights the severity of the issue. Gamemila Apparao, an 80-year-old pensioner from Koruprolu PVTG Kondu tribal village in MK Patnam Panchayat, had to be carried by 'doli' to the M.K. Patnam secretariat due to illness. Apparao expressed that the lack of proper roads makes it difficult for the elderly to travel, and no government representatives have visited their homes to deliver the pensions.

This problem is not isolated to Apparao. Many other elderly individuals in the region, who are also in poor health, face similar difficulties. They depend on the youngsters for support and assistance. Despite the challenges, two other elderly individuals like Apparao managed to receive their pensions, though it was a strenuous process. Beyond pensions, essential needs such as rationed rice and medicine are accessible only after a six-kilometer round trip.