Mumbai: For most pensioners, life post-retirement is one continuous battle for survival in the midst of spiralling inflation, high cost of living, dwindling savings, runaway medical expenses and being ‘excluded’ from many government schemes, in the evening of their lives.
One such person is a retired Indian Navy official, E. Sethumadhava Menon, 77 and his wife Bharathi, 71, both trying to lead a respectable life, buried under a pile of bills.
Menon retired after 40 years of dedicated service in the Navy in June 2006 with a pension of Rs 8,500 per month initially, which – after 17 years – has gradually gone up to around Rs 32,000 per month with the regular hikes in DA, etc.
“I was also given other allowances worth Rs 5 Lakhs, but it soon got exhausted in our medical bills and loans… Now, my wife and I survive mostly on this pension as we don’t like to depend on our (married) children – two daughters and a son,” Menon told IANS.
On the skyrocketing prices witnessed in the past few months, Menon rued how they “are barely able to manage” by cutting corners, though the basic expenses remain unchanged, and the unforeseen medical expenses hit the hardest.
“I have opted for the Central Government Health Scheme, which was very good in Mumbai. Recently, owing to the high living costs, I moved to my native Trichur in Kerala, but the nearest CGHS hospital is nearly 100 kms away, very difficult to access in any emergency, so we are at the mercy of private hospitals,” said Menon.
He urged the government to empanel more hospitals under CGHS in every district and all towns isince thousands of pensioners like him are directly affected and suffering due to the lacunae.
Recently, the Menon couple encountered a major financial challenge in the form of a medical insurance policy of United India Insurance Co. (UIIC) – acquired more than 18 years ago through the Bank of Maharashtra.
“At that time, I paid a premium of Rs. 3000, and lastly it was Rs 11,000 per annum for the Rs 200,000 policy. This year, it was discontinued by the UIIC. If we want to avail the same policy, the company is asking for Rs 61,000 per annum for renewal, plus a steep 20 percent loading for common ailments from next year. This is insensitive, preposterous, unaffordable and lakhs all over India are hit by this,” said Menon.
The Menon couple appealed to the Centre, that considering an average medical spend of around Rs 6,000 per month, the government should increase the number of CGHS-recognised hospitals where the central pensioners can avail cashless treatment, and also apply rationale behind the new norms of the insurance companies that are designed to fleece the retirees.
Referring to their plight in Mumbai, the duo said that the biggest problem was the steep rentals and torturous commute for even basics like going to the doctor or the market, which became more difficult as they aged, so they moved to Kerala.
“Though I am saving on rent due to my ancestral home, all other expenses, particularly medical, remain very high… We try to cultivate some basic vegetables in our backyard, but the labour costs are prohibitive… All we can do is to balance our budgets to make ends meet,” said Menon glumly.
Bereft of any luxuries, vacations or outings, the senior couple said that they are “fortunate” to have kept their dignity and self-respect intact by not seeking help from anybody, including their children, all these years.
However, like most other superannuated citizens, now they are not so sure… With the kind of killing inflation, the medical problems, no benefit from any central or state government schemes, and fast depleting savings, for how long can they continue to labour for sheer survival… as the flame flickers…
–IANS
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