Ajit Kaur, a widow from Lalchian village in Ferozepur, and her 15-year-old differently abled grandson Jasbir Singh have been running from pillar to post for the past one month to arrange money for their day-to-day expenses, including the teenager’s medical expenses.

Though both are registered as beneficiaries for widow pension and pension for differently abled, they have not received it after October. “We have been forced to borrow money to make both ends meet,” said Ajit Kaur.

They are among the 35.27 lakh social security pensioners in the state, whose pension has been delayed, allegedly due to financial constraints faced by the state.

A senior official in the Finance Department told The Tribune that the depleting cash reserves had made it difficult for the state government to release pension dues. The monthly outgo for these pensions from the state exchequer is Rs 529 crore. Each month, 23.39 lakh old age pensioners, 6.7 lakh widows, 2.8 lakh differently abled and 2.38 lakh destitute children get a pension of Rs 1,500 each.

Though, in the run-up to the 2020 Vidhan Sabha elections , AAP had announced that they would increase the pension to Rs 2,500 per month per beneficiary, fiscal constraints have prevented the government from increasing it.

Ujagar Singh (80) and his wife Sukhwinder Kaur (75) from Nadampur village in Sangrur, said that they would be more than happy to receive the pension continuously rather than the enhanced benefit that would come intermittently.

“The government must realise that this is the only source of regular income for most of the old-age pensioners, especially in rural areas. It is embarrassing to keep asking for money from relatives, when the pension is not disbursed on time,” said Ujagar Singh. Punjab Social Security Minister Baljit Kaur said though there was delay in release of pensions, these are now being released.

“Yesterday, we released the pension of all differently-abled persons and today, old-age pension, widow pensions and the benefit for destitute children are being released,” she said.

The Minister on Thursday announced the launch of a state-level campaign “Sade Buzurg Sada Maan” from January 16. This campaign provides facilities like eye and ENT check-ups, cataract surgery screening, distribution of spectacles, and Ayushman cards. She said the campaign would again be organised across the state.