95-year-old Odisha woman carried on cot to grievance hearing for pension

A 95-year-old woman in Odisha’s Subarnapur district is enduring bureaucratic challenges as she fights to receive her enhanced old-age pension.

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Peera Chuhan, from Singhari village under Tarabha block, has been unable to access her Rs 3,500 pension, despite numerous appeals to local officials.

Peera’s predicament led her to attend a district administration grievance hearing camp on Monday, where she had to be carried on a cot by villagers due to difficulties with walking.

As of now, the administration has not officially commented on her concerns.

“The elderly woman is around 95 years of age. She is not getting her old-age allowance of Rs 3,500 per month. We have brought it to the knowledge of local administration for several times but to no avail,” a local social activist, Mitrabrata Mishra said to OTV.

“The beneficiary was carried on a cot and brought to the grievance hearing camp. Perhaps, this is the worst possible thing that could ever happen to a destitute woman. The local administration should be proactive and see who deserves financial support in old age,” social activist Mishra further said.

Old-age pension scheme overview

The Odisha Elderly Pension Scheme, re-launched as Madhu Babu Pension Yojana in January 2025, provides monthly financial assistance to senior citizens and disabled residents. Initially offering Rs 2,500 monthly, the revised scheme now disburses Rs 3,500 through direct bank transfers.

Disparities across pension schemes

The Madhu Babu Pension Yojana provides Rs 700 monthly to seniors above 80, while the enhanced Social Security Pension offers Rs 3,500 to the same demographic. This 500% variance creates confusion and inequitable support for elderly beneficiaries across different schemes.

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Digital accessibility barriers

The mandatory online beneficiary list verification for Madhu Babu Pension Yojana creates exclusion risks for Odisha's rural elderly population, where only 48.7% have internet access, according to the 2024 State digital inclusion reports.