Chandigarh: The district administrations in Punjab have been struggling with inconsistencies in the address details of beneficiaries of social security pension schemes in the state. After their initial refusal, banks have agreed to help them out in tracing the pensioners through their local branches.Sources said at many places, the district administrations had only the name of the beneficiary and the locality and it was turning out to be an impossible task to physically trace them, especially when the names were common.For instance, there are over 20,000 beneficiaries in Amritsar whose addresses could not be verified. The banks were then asked them to share KYC details, but they refused saying it was secret information.Deputy commissioners of Amritsar and Ludhiana — Kamaldeep Singh Sangha and Pradeep Aggarwal respectively —took up the matter with the banks since they disburse pensions and have records of each beneficiary. However, the local branches were not forthcoming. It was pointed out that similar problems were being faced in other parts of the state as well, added sources.The Punjab state level bankers committee (SLBC) has now intervened and asked the banks concerned to share information with the authorities. RS Sangapure, chairman of Punjab SLBC, said while sharing the financial details of an account holder cannot be parted with, such rule doesn't apply to the address details.Meanwhile, Amarjit Singh, family member of a pensioner from Patiala said it was strange that the district authorities did not have proper details of the pensioners in the first place.The Punjab government has recently decided to credit the old-age pensions and financial assistance under other social security schemes directly into the accounts of the beneficiaries.There have been reports of beneficiaries facing problems in getting pensions, so the Punjab government has amended the norms of such social security schemes. Now, pensions and financial assistance under other social security schemes be directly deposited into the accounts of the beneficiaries, said an official.The state has raised the annual income limit for eligibility for pension and other social security schemes to Rs 60,000. Beneficiaries can now avail the benefit of these social security schemes by furnishing a self-certificate in this regard. Divulging further details, Punjab social welfare minister, Razia Sultana, said to avail the benefit of pension, an applicant should not be in government or private employment, and should not have annual income more than Rs 60,000 from any source, including interest/rental income.

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