Pensioners Forum Condemns Delay in Pension Payments in Halt

Kanpur: The Pensioners Forum, a coalition of various pensioner organizations, has expressed strong discontent over the delay in pension and arrears payments in Halt. The forum criticized the practice of offering temple prasad in place of due pensions, stating that life certificates should be given priority over religious offerings for central and state pensioners.

In a meeting held at Dharmlal Guest House, Gomti Nagar, representatives of the United Bank Retired Employees Association and various pensioner organizations discussed the increasing financial hardships faced by pensioners due to delays in pension disbursement.

Religious Offerings Instead of Pension Payments?

The forum highlighted instances where, instead of receiving their pending pensions, pensioners and their families were handed temple prasad and life certificates during official visits. The issue was particularly raised after the recent case of a retired government employee, Mr. Yajnamohan, whose pension remains unpaid even after three months of retirement.

Furthermore, the lack of systematic pension disbursement was evident during a recent hospital visit on January 28, 2025, where officials advised pensioners to receive temple prasad instead of their rightful payments. The pensioners’ representatives have deemed this approach unacceptable and insensitive, urging authorities to address the matter urgently.

Call for Immediate Government Action

The forum has demanded immediate intervention from the government to rectify this situation. The representatives emphasized that the delay in pension payments, especially since the 2009 notification of the O.P.F. Paper Factory, has significantly affected retired employees. Many pensioners are struggling with overdue payments and financial insecurity.

The meeting was attended by several key figures, including:

Shree Anand Awasthi, B. L. Gulabiya, Satya Narayan, A. K. Nigam, R. P. Shrivastava Advocate, Ashok Kumar Mishra, Tara Chandra, Ravindra Kumar Madhur, V. P. Shrivastava, Subhash Bhatiya, Dinesh Chandra, A. S. Rathore, N. K. Dubey, R. P. Verma, V. P. Shrivastava, R. K. Verma, Shivshankar, S. R. Verma, K. K. Shrivastava, R. P. S. Shukla, Ajeet Mishra, Ram Sab Chauhan​​​​​​​

Additionally, retired officials from S.B.I, R.B.I, B.S.N.L, and S.R Group were present to discuss potential legal actions if the issue remains unresolved.

Forum Demands Solutions

The Pensioners Forum has urged the government to:The Pensioners Forum has condemned the delayed pension payments in Halt, where retirees were given temple prasad instead of their due pensions. The forum demands swift government action, warning of potential protests and legal action if the issue persists.

• Ensure timely pension payments to retired employees.
• Abolish the practice of offering temple prasad in place of pensions.
• Address delays caused by poor administrative processes.

If corrective measures are not taken soon, the forum has warned of strong protests and possible legal proceedings to protect the rights of pensioners.