63% elderly in Delhi slums not receiving pensions, old age benefits: Survey

A survey conducted in 17 slums of Delhi has revealed that over a majority - 62.6 per cent - of the elderly people were not receiving pension and other old age benefits.

The survey was conducted by Institute for Human Development supported by Mahia Pragati Manch and CFAR with 3,004 households across three districts of Delhi - North East, East and Shahdara.

Of the total of 14, 339 surveyed, 444 were persons with disabilities and 2,199 respondents were elderly persons.

Of the total elderly respondents, only 37.3 per cent were getting old age pension and the remaining 62.6 per cent not receiving it or other old age benefits.

As many as 36.4 per cent (1,094) were female headed households (FHHH) and of them, 79 per cent were widows, 2 per cent had been abandoned and 3 per cent were single women.

Of the total of 860 widows, 269 (31 per cent) were not getting a widow pension.

Of the 444 persons with disability, there were 64 children between the age group of 6 to 17 with disabilities, 24 had never been enrolled in schools.

Of the 444 persons with disabilities, 268 had disability certificate and were getting pensions, while 176 did not have disability certificate and were not able to access any schemes.

The survey questioned people's exclusion from social entitlements like education as well.

Of the 3,914 school going children, 61 per cent (2,395) were attending government schools and 1,086 children or 28 per cent (1,086) were found to be dropouts.

Of the drop-outs, 36.3 (395) were not interested, 11.1 per cent (121) had failed, 11.6 per cent (126) were not attending schools to take care of siblings and family, 5.2 per cent (57) because they were often ill, and 2.3 per cent (25) due to lack of proper facilities.

--IANS

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