Her fellow SHG members enrolled in the scheme and receive a monthly pension of Rs. 500. Subbulamma and her husband G.Ramulu are alone as their children are married and live separately. Aged Ramulu is unable to work anymore and is dependent on his wife for everything. Despite her ill-health, she manages to go to the local Tobacco company, where she labours hard to earn about Rs. 85 a day. This is the only income for her family of two.
Regretting the chance, Subbulamma says: “When Village Organisation President Dasari Vijayalakshmi came to me and counseled several times to enrol in the pension scheme, I explained by poor financial condition. I could not raise the 10 year subscription to pay. I asked my children for help but they refused to help citing family problems. I tried every means to get the money but gave up after failing in all efforts.”
Subbulamma says . earlier she thought that her daily wages could take complete care of the family. “But, changing times and irregular work coupled with deteriorating health makes one dependent on Government schemes. Abhayahastham pension is one programme that has changed the lives of many poor women who were worried about their future in the advanced age,” she says.
Her only plea to the Government is to understand the plight of poor women like her who missed a chance and facilitate enrolment in the pension scheme. “The pension will ensure us hassle free life,” she remarks.