CUTTACK, India – The Orissa High Court has intervened to ensure the timely disbursal of family pension to a 91-year-old woman in Kendrapada district, whose husband passed away 46 years ago. The court’s directive comes after months of delays in providing the pension to Hara Sahoo, whose husband, a school teacher, died in 1977.
Despite multiple pleas and rejections from authorities over the years, the elderly woman has been fighting for her entitlement to family pension, gratuity, and other service benefits. It was only after filing a petition in the High Court that she saw progress in her pursuit for justice.
The High Court ordered the Kendrapada district collector to release the pension, along with arrears, within a specified time frame. However, when the pension did not reach Sahoo, she filed a contempt petition prompting the court to grant an extension for compliance with its initial order.
Living with her family in Kendrapada district, Sahoo’s case highlights the challenges faced by many elderly individuals in accessing their rightful benefits. Despite the scheme for family pension being introduced after her husband’s demise, the court acknowledged that he would have been eligible had he been alive to retire at the time stipulated by the pension scheme.
The struggle of Hara Sahoo sheds light on the bureaucratic hurdles and delays often faced by individuals seeking their entitled benefits. The court’s intervention emphasizes the importance of timely and fair distribution of pensions to support those in need, especially the elderly who rely on such benefits for their well-being.