Lok Adalat settles 86YO woman's pension case in 2 months

Hyderabad: In today's national Lok Adalat, 86-year-old Rajamma's pension case was settled as a pre-litigation case within two months.

Rajamma, an 86-year-old widow, approached the legal service authority two months ago claiming her husband Rahayya had retired in 1983 and died in 2001 while taking a pension. After his death, Rajamma was receiving a family pension.

As the department officials miscalculated her pension, she was paid some excess amount every month. The department of social welfare issued a notice to Rajamma to remit a total amount of Rs. 4,01,571, but she was bedridden with old age and unable to respond. As a result, the department started deducting Rs. 22,000 per month from the family pension.

Rajamma approached the District Legal Service Authority, Hyderabad through her son and filed a PLC. After receiving the PLC, the authority issued a notice to the department and held conciliation proceedings, and negotiated with both parties.

As Rajamna was unable to attend the Lok Adalat, the secretary of DLSC, Murali Mohan, sent the superintendent of the office, Sunita, to Rajamma's house in Asif Nagar. The matter was settled through a virtual conference before the Lok Adalat.

The department agreed to deduct Rs. 7,500 from her monthly family pension if she could not clear the due during her lifetime. The department is also at liberty to recover the same from her estate, which will be in the hands of her legal heirs. The department agreed to stop further deduction of Rs. 22,000 as per the terms of the settlement.

Chief judge Renuka Yara praised the legal services authority for resolving the dispute early by making the parties come to a compromise.