Mamata to give away Birsa Munda Awards
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee will hand over the Birsha Munda award for Science to Professor Bipan Tudu at a function in Adivasi Bhavan tomorrow.
A poverty-stricken unemployed widow, struggling since 10 years on one-fourth amount of pension her father was drawing, has forwarded an appeal to the chief minister seeking her ‘permission’ to commit suicide. Widow daughter of any government servant is entitled to get pension, the Pension Act suggests. Suniti Banerjee, residing at Singh Darwaza in Burdwan town said, “I’ve been knocking the door of the district administration since January 2013 but the officials have shown reluctance to move my file. This has caused me utmost trouble as I’m now in a hand-to-mouth situation.
I’m in a critical condition and have borrowed huge money from my kin for my sustenance. The officials have insulted me several times, too.” Suniti’s father Shibananda Ghosal was serving as the secretary of Khajurdihi Panchayat in Katwa. He retired from his service on 31 October, 1996. He enjoyed government pension till his death on 31 July, 2010. After his death, his widow continued receiving halfpension till her death on 31 December, 2012 when Suniti was staying with her mother after her husband had passed away on 9 May, 2011.
Suniti said, “As a widow and dependent on my mother, I’m eligible for one-fourth pension, which hasn’t been disbursed as yet in the last 10 years. So, I’ve forwarded an appeal to the chief minister describing why I require to die to help end this impasse.” Pension Act suggests: “Widow daughter, divorced daughter and unmarried daughter of deceased government servant is also entitled for the family pension till her remarriage or up to lifetime or starts earning a monthly income Rs 9,000.” The DM, East Burdwan, Priyanka Singla said, “I’ve taken the matter with a serious concern and asked the concerned officials to place the file.
Advertisement
Advertisement
