In the Ballabhgarh area of Faridabad, 61-year-old Kunwar Das stands as a living example of how systemic flaws and grassroots corruption can multiply the struggles of an ordinary citizen. Many poor people across the country face similar issues, where the benefits of welfare schemes fail to reach them. At an age when most people look forward to retirement and a peaceful life, this elderly farmer is forced to engage in backbreaking labour every single day. Kunwar Das had hoped that the government’s old age pension scheme would provide a much-needed financial cushion during his twilight years. However, his rightful benefits remain entangled in bureaucratic red tape. His ordeal is not just limited to government apathy; local opportunists have also tried to exploit his desperation by demanding bribes in exchange for getting his pension approved.
A Daily Bicycle Commute and the Wrath of Weather
Kunwar Das is a resident of Uncha Gaon, a village located in Ballabhgarh, Faridabad. Despite his advancing age, the burden of family responsibilities has not lessened. Every morning, he takes out his bicycle and rides several kilometres from his home in Uncha Gaon to his agricultural fields situated in the neighbouring Sunped Gaon. Leaving at the crack of dawn, he spends his entire day toiling in the dirt. Whether it is scorching heat, pouring rain, or biting cold, his visits to the farm are unavoidable. Farming is his sole source of livelihood, and the income from it is nowhere near what it used to be. The changing climate has made agriculture a gamble; sometimes sudden hailstorms destroy the ready crops, while at other times, unpredictable weather patterns completely ruin the harvest. The meagre earnings generated from farming barely cover the daily household expenses. Given this financial instability, the old age pension is not just a perk, but an absolute necessity for his survival.
The Family ID Income Hurdle
The primary obstacle preventing the approval of his old age pension is a significant error in his Family ID document. Kunwar Das possesses all the necessary personal documents required for the application process, yet his Family ID inaccurately reflects a highly inflated annual income. The greatest irony of this situation is that he himself is entirely unaware of the exact income figure that has been officially recorded in the system. This technical discrepancy has created a massive roadblock. Despite having his paperwork in order, the inflated income status disqualifies him on paper, completely stalling his pension file. Since he has no alternative employment or business and relies entirely on unpredictable agricultural yields, this bureaucratic error continues to cause him immense mental and financial distress.
Middlemen Demanding the First Three Instalments
As if navigating the flawed administrative system was not enough, Kunwar Das also had to face blatant corruption at the local level. He revealed that there are certain individuals in his village who act as middlemen, promising to get pensions approved in exchange for a hefty cut. These opportunists approached Kunwar Das with a shocking condition. "I was told that I would have to give up the first three pensions, only then would they get it made," he said. This blatant demand for a bribe deeply hurt the elderly farmer. Relying on his principles, he firmly refused to pay anyone a single penny. Rather than bowing down to corrupt practices and handing over his rightful money to exploiters, he chose to wait and fight for his rights through proper channels.
Seeking Justice at the Pension Office
Until now, Kunwar Das had avoided making rounds of government offices, hoping the system would eventually work as intended. However, frustrated by the endless delays and the audacity of the middlemen, he has now decided to take matters into his own hands. He stated that while he hasn't visited the official pension office yet, he plans to go there soon to present his case directly to the concerned authorities. His demand is simple and straightforward: if his documents are complete and he meets the genuine eligibility criteria, his pension should be sanctioned without any external interference or bribes. He remains hopeful that the government assistance will finally come through, providing a small but crucial financial pillar for his old age and alleviating his daily worries. The government should also proactively resolve such cases so that eligible citizens can receive their dues without facing unnecessary hardships.
