Vengammal, 90, is forced to travel to the pension office in Chennai to avail the state government's pension scheme
Vengammal, a 90-year-old woman, can barely walk.
But her son was forced to bring his frail mother to the pension office in Chennai for the annual verification process, where she had to wait for nearly two hours to sign up for a new health insurance scheme.
The Tamil Nadu government's newest health scheme allows pensioners to avail cashless transactions of up to Rs two lakh. But on the ground, the sheen of the scheme wears off quickly.
While the new health insurance for the elderly is a welcome step, the cumbersome procedure is becoming a nightmare for these senior citizens.
A doctor's certificate can exempt disabled senior citizens from a personal appearance, but Vengammal alleges that the authorities just won't accept one, leaving her no choice but to trudge to the pension office.
"I am not well. It would be nice if I don't have to undergo this," she said.
Ganapathy, another senior citizen, confirms that authorities are reluctant to accept a doctor's certificate. "All the pensioners have to come in person and they have to prove their existence," he says.
His wife Jamuna, a retired government employee, adds, "If we don't do this, our pension would stop".
At the pension office, hundreds of elderly citizens are forced to wait in an open area covered by a canopy. There is no water and not enough chairs or counters to cater to them.
Maduram, a retired assistant school headmaster, is here for the third day in a row. Mr Maduram, who moves with the help of a walker, has been unable to get his paperwork done at the ill-equipped government office.
He believes the state government's health scheme is a "good one", but adds, "we may die before we are able to collect this card.".
Nearly one lakh pensioners live within the Chennai zone.
Authorities refute complaints about elderly disabled pensioners being forced to make a personal appearance and claim that the updated process of verification will make the process easier.
"Then, pensioners will be able to give their thumb impressions. Once it matches with ours, the pension would get credited to them. They need not come here," said N Gurunathan, Assistant Accounts Officer.