There is a huge gap between the beneficiaries on the roll and those actually getting the pension under various categories. The money received from the Central government under one head was reportedly utilised for another head, resulting thereby in denial of basic need for survival of the poor people in most of the states. The state governments failing to provide monthly pensions of person to impoverished senior citizens, widows and persons with disabilities from July 2020. But large sections of the population, including urban informal workers, are ‘invisible’ to the state. Since large numbers of people have suddenly become unemployed, the income levels of individuals and families have dropped, and many more have become eligible for benefits. Indian billionaires increased their wealth by 35% during the lockdown. Unemployment, rising prices of food and essentials, double whammy for India’s poor. Our broken economies are lining the pockets of billionaires and big business at the expense of ordinary men and women. Welfare programmes can help millions in a country that has a third of the world’s poor.
