31 May:Several people suffering from HIV/AIDS in Orissa’s Kendrapara district are staying away from receiving pension provided by the government fearing their social alienation.
"Fear of getting identified and subsequent social alienation have forced the HIV-positive people and AIDS patients to stay away from the pension plan in the district," officials said.
Named after ‘Madhubabu’, a prominent nationalist Oriya leader, Orissa government had declared a monthly pension of Rs 200 to the AIDS patients and HIV-affected people on 1st April.
Kendrapara Collector Kashinath Sahu said "195 HIV-positive people were brought under the pension scheme as part of social security mission to rehabilitate them."
"The beneficiaries are reluctant to receive the pension money in cheque," Sahu said.If the civil society activists are to be believed, the beneficiaries think it prudent to skip the money rather than being identified and ostracised.
As a result, the pension scheme has failed to take off Kendrapara. With poor awareness of the sensitivity attached with HIV status of a person, the Block-level government officials fail to maintain the confidentially and make the names of beneficiaries public, said Block Officials.Courtsey : DD NEWS