Disabled Demand Justice: Telangana NPRD Stages Protest in Rain, Seeks Rs 6,000 Pension & Pending Dues

Hyderabad: Braving heavy rains, members of the Telangana State Committee of the National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD) staged a sit-in protest today, demanding an increase in pensions and other welfare measures for persons with disabilities.

The protest was held in front of the SERP office, and agitators came from various districts across the state.

Protesters called for the monthly pension for persons with disabilities to be raised from Rs 4,016 to Rs 6,000 and sought the release of pending pensions.

They also demanded that the government allocate Indira Mahila Shakti canteens to disabled individuals and sanction a special allowance of Rs 20,000 to the severely disabled.

NPRD State General Secretary M Adivaiah criticised the government for its inaction despite previous protests and petitions submitted between July 5 and 23.

He also accused the ruling Congress party of failing to fulfil its 2018 election promise of increasing disability pensions. Adivaiah pointed out that while 42 lakh people are Cheyutha pension beneficiaries in the state, only 4.9 lakh are persons with disabilities. He questioned why, after 19 months in power, the Congress government has not taken steps to increase pensions as promised.

NPRD State President K Venkat said there are over 15,000 people with severe disabilities in Telangana who need urgent financial support. He demanded the immediate release of special allowances to these individuals, whose eligibility has already been verified at district government hospitals.

The protesters also urged the government to restore pensions for disabled persons employed at neighbourhood centres, arguing that low wages should not disqualify them from pension benefits. They further demanded that disabled individuals be appointed as Community Coordinators (CCs) in newly formed self-help groups.

After talks with protest leaders, SERP CEO Divya assured that the demands would be brought to the attention of the state government.

She promised that pending pensions would be sanctioned within two months and that necessary steps would be taken to provide special allowances for those with severe disabilities.

She also assured that a share in the Indira Mahila Shakti Scheme would be allocated for persons with disabilities and that salaries for workers in 40 new neighbourhood centres being set up across the state would be increased.

NPRD State Vice Presidents Raju, Kashappa, Swami, Upender, and several other state leaders and disabled individuals participated in the protest.