Sambalpur: In a bizarre case of alleged administrative error, a 75-year-old woman in Sambalpur has been deprived of her widow pension for nearly two years after official records reportedly declared her dead, despite her repeated attempts to prove that she is alive.

Belamati Bhuyan, a resident of Motijharan in Sambalpur city, has appealed to the Sambalpur district administration and the Sambalpur Municipal Corporation (SMC) Commissioner to restore her pension, saying the loss of the financial assistance has caused her considerable hardship.

“Sir, I am Belamati Bhuyan. I am 75 years old, but I am alive. You can visit my house and even ask my neighbours to verify that I am alive. But you have declared me dead for the past two years, and I have not received my widow pension during this period,” she said in an appeal published in 'Sambad' newspaper.

Belamati lives with her widowed niece, who is also economically disadvantaged. The two depend on the widow pension and ration supplies to meet their daily needs. Although they continue to receive rice through their ration card, the discontinuation of the pension has left them struggling financially.

According to Belamati, she fell ill in 2024 and was admitted to a hospital for treatment. During that period, she was unable to visit the office to collect her pension for a few days.

After recovering and returning home, she went to the SMC office to collect the pension but was reportedly informed that official records showed she had died.

She said she repeatedly approached the officials and staff responsible for pension disbursement, explaining that she was alive and requesting the restoration of her benefits. However, her pleas allegedly went unheard.

Around five months later, she applied to the administration for a fresh pension. Her application was also reportedly rejected because official records continued to show her as deceased.

Belamati said her husband had left home a few years after their marriage. She later learnt that he had died. The couple had no children, leaving her dependent on her widowed niece for support.

Now, the elderly woman says she is being forced to move from one government office to another, carrying documents to establish that she is alive, but has yet to secure the restoration of her pension.

Through 'Sambad', she has appealed to the Sambalpur district administration and the SMC Commissioner to intervene and arrange for the resumption of her widow pension.

“I am alive. Please make arrangements for my pension. You can stop it when I actually die,” she has urged the authorities.

The case has raised concerns over the verification of beneficiaries and the grievance-redressal process for social security pensions, particularly for elderly and economically vulnerable people.