In a classic example of official apathy, it has been almost ten months since Jyoti Pathania, wife of Pradeep Kumar who died of covid-19 in May last year, has been shuttling between the patwari’s office and Sampark centers with papers for widow pension of Rs 1,000. But each time, she is turned away for want of some document or another.
Jyoti lost her husband to Covid-19 on May 12, 2021, during the second wave. Ever since, it has been a lone journey in despair with little help from anyone, at least of all the administration.
She has two children, a daughter who turned 18 on May 13 and a 13-year-old son, who are yet to get any help under the Parvarish scheme of the Chandigarh Administration. On paper, both the children are entitled to Rs 5,000 each, every month, for their nutritional and recreational needs along with other educational benefits.
Things came to such a pass last month that Jyoti, a resident of Sector 37C, who works as a receptionist with a courier firm, sold off some gold to pay the fee of her son, who is studying in a private school and to meet other expenses of the house.
She would not have had to pawn off her gold had the administration delivered what it promised under the Parvarish scheme, including free education for children until they turn 18, annual financial support of up to Rs 50,000 (admission + tuition fee + examination fee) to young adults pursuing graduation or an equivalent course in Chandigarh or anywhere else within the country from a recognized institute.
“I had no option but to sell the gold. I have been running from one government office to another just to get widow pension. When I went to the patwari office in September last year, he sent me to the Sampark centre, which found fault with my form. When I filled up a fresh form and went again, they asked me for additional documents. When I submitted those documents, they wanted me to go to the patwari again for verification. Then, they said I need to get it stamped as well. I did that and submitted the papers but am yet to hear from them. I am simply tired of this system,” she said.
Running around the government department while taking care of her children, work, and home has been a drain. “I have no option, I need money for my family. And every rupee counts,” she said.
On May 9, 2021, she and her husband Pradeep Singh, who used to work for a company that manufactures bearings, tested positive for Covid. While she recovered, her condition started deteriorating. After shuttling from one hospital to another, he managed to get admitted to a private hospital where a CT scan showed that his lungs were compromised. Before Jyoti could make sense of the diagnosis, Pradeep breathed his last.
In a wink, the family was left to fend for itself. There was no one to inform them that education of children in government schools would be completely free and if they were in a private school, their fee would be charged as per the EWS norms and reimbursed every month.
Jyoti received the central government compensation of Rs 50,000 of which she spent 35,000 in her daughter’s coaching and the remaining Rs 15,000 on two months of ration.
Jyoti draws a monthly salary of Rs 12,000 of which more than one-third goes into paying the fee of her son, who studies in a private school. Knowing her financial condition, her brother pitches in, once in a while, but has to fend for his family as well.
I am still paying the fee of my son which is about Rs 4,700 a month. My daughter’s teacher called me to tell me about the financial help I can get under the Parvarish scheme. I submitted all the proofs and documents that were required but to no avail. They promised to call me back but never did,” she says.
Jyoti rues that her husband’s death has also killed the dreams and aspirations of her daughter for higher studies. Jyoti recounted, “Samya would always tell her father that she would take admission in PEC, and he would always encourage her. Now when she broaches the subject, I keep mum. I don’t know what to tell my children. Their dreams are dead now, we are just fighting for survival”.
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