ANANTAPUR: The government steps to avoid double pension in a family as also possession of white ration cards by the ineligible across the state caused worry for those like ageing artists. Their names have been deleted from the lists on the grounds that their spouse is getting an old-age pension.
Though the government planned to give relaxation for the physically challenged and those who have chronic ailments and continue giving double pension on single ration card, the ageing artists were excluded from this provision.
The old-age pension scheme had been implemented exclusively for artists, by way of paying them an assistance of Rs 3000 every month. The scheme was overseen by the Information and PR department via assistant director offices in all districts.
As the government took steps to prune the system of double pension, the ageing artists got no exemption.
C Gopapalla, a 75-year-old clarinet master from Amarapuram mandal stopped getting pension from September last…