Mangaluru: Disability pension cut over APL cards leaves thousands in distress
Mangalore Today News Network
Mangaluru, Aug. 15, 2026: The Dakshina Kannada district unit of Sakshama has urged the Karnataka government to make disability the sole criterion for granting monthly pensions to persons with disabilities and to withdraw income-based restrictions that have reportedly led to the discontinuation of benefits for several beneficiaries since April.
Sudharathna, a district representative of Sakshama and a recipient of the Vikalachethana Rajyaprashasthi award, said she has not received her monthly Divyang pension of Rs 2,000 since April because her family holds an Above Poverty Line (APL) ration card.
“The pension helped me buy medicines and meet my personal expenses without depending entirely on my family. I have been disabled since birth and have limited mobility. Though my brother supports me, the pension was a great help,” she said.
According to Sakshama, many persons with disabilities across Dakshina Kannada and other parts of Karnataka have reportedly lost their pension benefits due to income-related eligibility conditions linked to APL ration cards.
Dakshina Kannada district president of Sakshama, Rajasekhara Bhat Kakunje, said the decision has caused significant hardship to persons with disabilities and their families. He noted that government assistance, though modest, plays a crucial role in supporting beneficiaries and families caring for children with physical and intellectual disabilities.
“Parents often spend heavily on speech therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, behavioural training and other specialised services. It is unfair to deny assistance based on a family income ceiling of Rs 32,000 per year, as the financial burden of caring for a person with disability is far greater than what income figures alone can reflect,” he said.
Kakunje added that families of persons with disabilities continue to face social, emotional and financial challenges, and that even a small amount of government assistance provides them with dignity, security and hope.
Sakshama Bantwal taluk representative Harish Mambady said the monthly pension is not merely financial support but also a means of preserving the self-respect and confidence of persons with disabilities.
He pointed out that many persons with disabilities find it difficult to organise themselves, attend meetings or approach government offices to raise their concerns due to mobility, visual, intellectual and other challenges. Bantwal taluk alone has around 4,800 Divyang pension beneficiaries, he said.
The organisation has urged the government to consider the Unique Disability ID (UDID) card issued by the Centre as the sole eligibility criterion for disability pension and to discontinue the practice of assessing beneficiaries based on their family’s economic status.
Appealing for a humanitarian approach, Sakshama representatives called on the government to restore the discontinued pensions and ensure that persons with disabilities are not deprived of essential support because of income-based restrictions.