“I haven’t got my pension for four years. I don’t know why,” says Jayanti, a woman with disabilities resettled at the Perumbakkam housing board site. Jayanti, originally from Thousand Lights, was evicted in 2017. Shortly after relocation, she stopped receiving her pension. With limited livelihood opportunities due to her disability and the loss of her husband, she is entirely dependent on the ₹1,500 from the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP).
The NSAP is a Central government-sponsored, non-contributory, income transfer scheme implemented by the Tamil Nadu Department of Revenue. It provides basic monetary support to the elderly, widowed, and persons with disabilities (PWDs), living below the poverty line.
Funds are allocated based on estimates of the eligible population at the taluk level, requiring proof of address within the same jurisdiction to access benefits. As a result, resettled pensioners like Jayanti have their pensions discontinued after relocation and are often caught unawares. They receive no communication or guidance from the government on how to avoid or rectify this issue.
Involuntary resettlement often impoverishes the urban poor. Studies have documented several impacts such as loss of social networks; inadequate social infrastructure such as schools; health issues and the loss of livelihood. An overlooked resettlement effect, however, is the loss of welfare benefits. In areas where unemployment is rampant, access to social security pensions becomes a lifeline.
Read more: Residents in resettlement colonies struggle with many aspects of daily life: IRCDUC study
The challenges in reinstating pensions
After resettlement, pensioners have no choice but to reapply for schemes, a process so riddled with bureaucratic and documentary hurdles, that many give up. To reapply, applicants must submit their ration card, Aadhaar, bank passbook, and BPL number. PWDs must additionally submit their Unique Disability Identity (UDID) card.
Widows must provide their husband’s death certificate, a legal heir certificate, and a third document — the widow certificate. But before this, applicants must update the address to their new residence at Perumbakkam on each ID document — a lengthy process, as all the IDs have specific procedures and timelines for completion.
Residents must use their home’s allotment order, provided by the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB), to change addresses on documents. They can update the address on their ration card by submitting this allotment order, which is the only proof of ownership, to the Department of Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection in Sholinganallur. The process can take anywhere from 1–6 months before the duplicate card arrives at the ration shop.
Similarly, for Aadhaar updates, residents must visit the E-Sevai centres and present the duplicate ration card or the allotment order as proof of address. “It is as if we have just come into the world,” says Sandhya, a Perumbakkam resident and member of the Information and Resource Center for Deprived Urban Communities (IRCDUC), highlighting the difficulties of reestablishing identity.
No access to welfare benefits
Next, pension reapplicants in Perumbakkam must open an account with the Indian Bank, the government’s exclusive partner for disbursing pension funds in Tambaram taluk. This involves paying a ₹500 fee, even though many have already paid to open an account with Indian Overseas Bank, which is the government’s partner within the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) limits.
The allotment order is necessary to change addresses on other documents. However, in Perumbakkam, 1,000 families have only received temporary tokens according to IRCDUC estimates, preventing them from accessing welfare benefits. Without the tenure security of the allotment order, residents fear repeated evictions.
Running pillar to post for the pension
Reapplying for pensions involves repeated visits to the village administrative officer, revenue inspector, and the tahsildar to track application progress. The distance between these offices and poor bus connectivity make this difficult. “I have to change two or three buses, putting on callipers to climb the bus is hard, especially when I have my baby with me,” says Latha, a woman with a disability. Applicants also face additional burdens like travel expenses, physical strain, and the loss of a day’s work.
The NSAP guidelines emphasise the social vulnerability of applicants, making it the implementing agency’s duty to “ensure the least burden on them.” However, the onus of reapplying for pensions post-resettlement falls on applicants.
Why should the government ensure that people get pensions?
Tamil Nadu’s resettlement and rehabilitation policy mentions that “transfers of schools, social security pensions, electoral rolls, family cards, Aadhaar cards, etc., [should be conducted] through special reception camps at resettlement sites.” Although authorities hold frequent document camps, their success rate is low.
At pension camps, a bank agent and E-Sevai staff assist with account opening and application submission. However, applicants must update their addresses on ID documents beforehand. For camps to be truly useful, there must be on-spot address updating, application, and approval. This means that the revenue officials who implement the NSAP must also be present. However, TNUHDB officials may find it difficult to coordinate with line departments.
Agents gather numerous documents from applicants, but these are often not processed. Other hurdles include server downtime and internet connectivity issues at the camps. A TNUHDB official admitted the camps are ineffective, stating they are “camps in name only.” To address this issue, the wing regularly invites IRCDUC staff to the camps, leveraging their experience in this area.
How proactive action can help pensioners
Despite these efforts, reapplicants may end up on waiting lists due to insufficient funds.
NSAP funds are allocated at the taluk level, and relocating outside the area results in the stopping of pensions to prioritise local residents. Terminating the pensions of relocated beneficiaries and forcing them to reapply through camps is not a solution. The revenue department of the eviction site should apply for a transfer to the new address. This allows the revenue department at the resettlement site to accurately assess the new demand within the taluk and arrange the required funds.
“Initiating transfers should be the responsibility of the resettling authority, but the Resettlement and Rehabilitation Framework does not outline procedures and assign responsibilities,” says a Revenue Department official.
Resettlement programmes must be planned to improve living conditions and not be limited to just providing housing. The TNUHDB must tackle the more difficult task of collaborating with revenue departments at both eviction and resettlement sites to ensure pensions are transferred smoothly.
[The author’s research project examined the challenges pensioners in resettlement sites face to get welfare benefits. Her project is part of a fellowship programme with Impact and Policy Research Institute (IMPRI)].
Very informative and well researched article by the author, who highlights the practical issues and hardships many hapless ones face. The article not only portrays the challenges faced but also throws light on the possible solutions. I particularly appreciate the common platform for updating the address of relocated people ,where all the concerned officials are present and this could significantly reduce the distress many undergo.
Well written!