The North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NMC) has sought clarification from the Election Commission over distribution of old age pension to the beneficiaries. Citing restrictions due to model code of conduct, officials of the corporation had stopped the process of pension disbursement. However, leaders of the civic body argued if distributing pension was a beneficiary scheme, providing subsidised food under the Food Security Bill should also be prohibited.
The matter came for discussion in the general House meeting of the NMC where leaders of the ruling as well as the Opposition parties unanimously demanded distributing the pension to the poor and the old people. They claimed the pension scheme was an arrear and no new initiative. “Depriving the old and the poor of their pension will be injustice, particularly when Diwali is round the corner. The pension scheme is no new initiative, but an ongoing process. The officers must release the fund meant for the pension beneficiaries,” said Mahendra Nagpal, leader of House in the NMC.
Former Mayor Mira Aggarwal also said that disbursement of pension was never stopped during earlier elections and that the officials should seek clarification from the Election Commission over the issue.
The Chief law Officer and the Additional Commissioner sought to explain the regulations, but the leaders refused to buzz. It is noteworthy that the three Corporations give Rs 1,000 as pension to old people and widows.
With 104 Municipal wards each, both North and South Corporations have 72,800 beneficiaries under the old-age pension scheme. On the other hand, the total number of beneficiaries of 64 wards in the East Delhi Municipal Corporation is 44,800.