Dhenkikote: As part of social security schemes, the government provides monthly pension to elderly, differently-abled people and widows, but many are deprived of this benefit at Dhenkikote in Keonjhar.
The panchayat has scores of people who have crossed 70 years, but till date they have not got pension.
Septuagenarians like Yudhisthir Nayak, Keshab Mandal, Abhimanyu Nayak, Parbati Mandal, Purnima Nayak and Marua Nayak are among them.
They said they have been running from panchayat office to the block office with applications for pension, but their cases have not been heard so far.
Visibly upset over the lethargy of officials, the tribal residents said they had voted the Biju Janata Dal to power four times, but they have not got what they deserved.
Panchayat executive officer Chitrasen Mohant said all the applications have been sent to the block office.
Block panchayat officer Chittaranjan Nayak said the sub-collector has been urged to approve all the pension seekers’ applications. The elderly would get their pension at the earliest, he added.
PNN