Budget delay affects social security payment

SHINDUPALCHOWK, Feb 20: Locals in Sindupalchowk district have remained deprived of their social security allowance for the last five months as the government did not provide a sufficient budget for the purpose to the local administration.



Around 25,000 locals including senior citizens, widows, the physically disabled and dalit children have been affected as the second installment of the social security payment couldn´t be distributed to them in the stipulated time frame. [break]They are also yet to get the social security payment of a month under the first installment.



The government has decided to distribute social security payment of a year in three phases. In each phase, the authorities are likely to provide the social security payment for four months.



In the current fiscal year of 2012-2013, the first phase of social security distribution was scheduled on September 17, 2012. However, social security payment for just three months was provided to the target groups.



Even though there is a policy to distribute the second installment by January 25, it hadn´t been provided even in the second week of February.



The District Development Committee (DDC) said it delayed distribution of social security as the total budget allotted for the purpose couldn´t be released on time.

As the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development provided less budget than required, the targeted groups in the district have been deprived of the payments, said Rajubhai Shrestha, program officer at the DDC.



According to Nabin Khanal, accounts officer at the DDC, the ministry has only provided Rs. 100 million of the total Rs. 140 million needed for distribution of social security payments.



“Even though we have urged the ministry to release the remaining budget, the ministry is yet to do so,” he added.



Meanwhile, the third phase of social security distribution has been slated for May 30, 2013.



Records at the DDC show that 24,696 people are eligible for the social security allowance. The government has been providing Rs. 500 per month to each senior citizen, dalit or widow while Rs. 200 is provided per month to dalit children below 5 years of age.



Likewise, a partially disabled individual receives Rs. 300 per month and Rs. 1,000 is provided to a totally disabled citizen.

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