Mysore/Mysuru: Claiming that the Government has failed to release  funds for old age pension and many other pensions covered under Social Security Schemes of the Government, former MLA M.K. Somashekar wondered whether the Government had become so bankrupt even to make provisions for funding pensions.

Addressing a press meet here recently, Somashekar alleged that money was not released for Social Security Pension Schemes for the last six to seven months. 

Maintaining that the Government’s failure to release money for such important schemes leads one to believe that the Government  coffers has become empty, he said it seems that the Government has no concerns for the poor.

Noting that most of the beneficiaries used to utilise their pension money for buying medicines, Somashekar said that the non-release of pension has left the beneficiaries in distress.

Accusing Ministers in the B.S. Yediyurappa Cabinet of working only for protecting their own interests, he alleged that some Ministers are busy knocking on the doors of the Court for saving themselves from embarrassment.

Contending that the BJP Government was claiming that the schemes announced by the previous Congress Government as its own, the former MLA urged the Government to immediately release all pensions and thus come to the rescue of the poor.

Corporator Shobha Sunil, who also addressed the press meet, alleged that the BJP Government was not providing pension to existing beneficiaries, let alone adding new beneficiaries.

Pointing out that the long queues of poor that are witnessed almost every other day at the Taluk Office is an example of Government’s failure to address issues of the poor, she alleged that the Government has dropped many popular schemes such as Manaswini which were initiated by Siddharamaiah-led Congress Government. Aggrieved pension beneficiaries Girija, Girijamma, Nazima, Ganesh and others were present at the press meet.