Inmates of shelter homes not eligible for welfare pension, says govt

Thiruvananthapuram: The state finance department issued an order stating that the inmates of orphanages, old age homes and other almshouses are not eligible to receive welfare pension of the government.

The Department of Social Justice had issued an order in 2016 to provide them welfare pension. However, the finance department amended the same and took the new decision.

The government is of the opinion that the concerned institutions are responsible for the inmates. The director of panchayat also had requested the government to clarify the order as it is practically difficult to grant the pension.

There are 17,937 inmates in the 619 old age homes in the state, 9, 321 in the 285 care homes for the differently abled and 960 inmates in the 17 shelter homes for the destitute. Only very few of the institutions receive the government grant.

Only 212 old age homes, 95 care homes for the differently abled and seven shelter homes for the destitute currently get the grant. The institutions will get only Rs 1,100 per head. So, the welfare pension was useful for the inmates.