DJ Venkatesh
Diglipur, June 23: Strange rules and regulations, which are continuing since colonial rules are still making life of common man miserable in these Islands. For example those who get financial help under various schemes of Government of India are presently facing difficult time, especially those who are senior citizens.
In remote Islands the old aged persons are facing lots of difficulties in getting their Old Age Pensions & Widow Pensions because they have to submit the attested copies of their life certificates by a Gazetted Officer annually in respective ICDS offices to continue their pension for the year.
Worst hit are people living in remotest islands, like Diglipur. Diglipur is the Northernmost part of Andaman Islands where large number of people are living in the far-flung areas, in the encroachment pockets at a distance more than 50 kilometers from the ICDS office and from any office of Gazetted Officer. Peoples living in these areas are not able to reach Diglipur at the time of emergency situations as there are very lesser means of transport and people have either walk many kilometers or travel by ‘Dinghi’ through creeks and sea.
In view of the above situation, it can be imagined that how an Old Lady or Gentleman living in distance areas of Diglipur suffers in regard to submit Attested Copy of their life certificates in the office of ICDS Diglipur. Moreover, it is reported that many a times Gezetted Officers are not found in his office and these old aged peoples have to wait for hours before their offices merely for want of signature.
It has been reported that earlier the copy of Life Certificates attested by the concerned Pradhan was accepted for continuing of the old age and widow pensions but recently the ICDS office started demanding for attestation by Gezetted Officer.
Considering the seriousness of this issue the Assistant Commissioner of Diglipur, Dr. Vivek Kumar had also requested the Director of Social Welfare to give some relaxation to public in this regard and deploy Gram Sevika/VLW or any staff of ICDS to visit the houses of the old aged persons living in far flung areas and to collect the information of their survival for continuation of Pensions. He had also requested that only attestation of the concerned Pradhans may be allowed in the case of Life Certificates.
Following this making mockery of the situation, the Directorate of Social Welfare issued a circular which said that “the beneficiaries availing financial assistance of Department of Social welfare are facing difficulties in submission of Life certificate with the signature of Gazetted officer due to non-availability of Gazetted Officers in many of that places in this UT. Therefore , all the Pradhans with the joint signature of Mukhya Sevikas and CDPOs are also hereby authorized to issue life certificate in respect of the persons availing different financial assistances from the different Pension scheme of Old Age, Disability, Widow and Destitute Allowances wherever required.”
Sadly after this order the problems of public have increased manifold instead of decreasing. Earlier public, especially aged people had to run for one signature now they have to run for three signatures.
Earlier when Andaman Sheekha demanded for self attestation, the administration had granted it. But why same rule in not applicable for old people? Why can’t a person declare himself or herself alive?
Why after 65 years of Independence people who are alive and old have to be certified by others that they are still alive? Why like self attestation a self declaration is not enough in this regard? Why the Administration is so insensitive?
