Elderly people in rural Achham face hassles in getting allowance

By Ramesh Bahadur Rawat, Achham,Dec.18: A group of around 50 people who look more than 70 years old gathered at the center of Panchadewal Binayak Municipality located in Accham district, Binayak Bazar, around 7 AM on Tuesday.  The number reached 100 but the clock ticked 120 more minutes. 

They said that they were in a queue to collect the old age allowance which was being distributed by the nearby Machhapuchchhre Bank Limited. However, it has been more than 10 days and the old age allowance is still not in their hands. 

These elderlies were unable to withdraw money from their account when Machhapuchhre Bank located at  Binayak remains closed due to internal problems.

One could see elderlies staring unwavering to bank with some documents in their hands all Tuesday from their sitting position in a nearby pavement. 

Elderlies for the last ten days stand in a queue on the pavement near the bank in the hope of getting their allowance that is used to make ends meet. However, the elderly are yet to get relief from sitting on cold ground.  

Mahamati Bhul of Layati, Panchadewal Binayak Municipality-5, left home heading towards Binayak in the early morning at 4 AM Tuesday, with a torch and stick. It took her three hours on foot to reach the place but she had to wait all day on the cold pavement with an empty stomach for that income which helped her daily needs get fulfilled. 

Mahamati, who is currently 78 as per her record mentioned in citizenship, cannot even tell her age.

When asked about her age, She said, 'It has been 7-8 years since I turned 70. This is the way she tells her age.' 78-year-old Mahamati said that it has been a week since she came to the bank to get money, but she has yet to receive her cheque.

Surja Nepali, a 42-year-old single woman from Layati, also waited a whole day in the hope of getting money and buying necessities to take home.

Having 2 sons and 2 daughters, She said that she has not paid fees for her children's half-yearly examinations. 

She said, 'It's been 15 days since we last ate rice at home, we don't have money to buy rice." 

Bank branch manager Basanta Nepali said that it has been 10 days since the malfunction occurred in the bank. 

According to him, there has been a malfunction in the electricity connection and internet connection of the bank. 

The bank said that correspondence had been sent to the central office of the bank for repairs.

The Bank's Binayak branch has 16,000 other account holders including 7,600 social security beneficiaries' holders and other account holders. 

The disruption in the bank has caused problems for customers. The bank deals with around 100 customers daily. 

When a problem occurs in a bank where 100 people deal daily, the customers are hit hard.

Social security allowance has not been received since June due to a dispute between the executive of Panchadewal Binayak Municipality.