Mangaluru, 14 August 2026: Thousands of persons with disabilities in Karnataka have reportedly been deprived of government pension or monthly assistance for the past several months, with the income eligibility criterion becoming a major hurdle.
Sakshama Dakshina Kannada district unit has urged the Karnataka government to relax the income criterion and ensure that disability itself remains the primary eligibility for the monthly assistance.
Addressing a press conference at Mangaluru Press Club on Friday, Sakshama Dakshina Kannada district president Rajasekhar Bhat Kakunje said many persons with disabilities had been deprived of the pension and urged the government to intervene immediately.
The organisation said the small amount provided by the government can make a significant difference to families raising children with physical or intellectual disabilities. It can provide essential financial support and help families work towards a better future.
However, the organisation expressed concern over the continued application of an annual family income limit of ₹32,000, stating that many eligible persons with disabilities are being excluded because their family income exceeds the prescribed limit.
Disability should be the key criterion
Saksham representatives argued that being a person with a disability should be the primary basis for receiving the monthly assistance, rather than imposing additional financial conditions that can exclude those in need.
They urged the State government to reconsider the income criterion and restore assistance to eligible beneficiaries who have been affected.
State award winner also affected
Sudharatna, Sakshama Dakshina Kannada district representative and a recipient of the State Award in the disability category, said she too was now required to fight for her monthly assistance.
She said the pension had reportedly been stopped for the past four months on the grounds of changes or enforcement related to the income limit.
Sudharatna also pointed out that approaching government offices, meeting officials or organising collectively to raise grievances is not easy for many persons with disabilities.
“Some cannot walk, some cannot speak, while others live with visual, intellectual or mental health-related disabilities,” she said, stressing that even seeking their basic rights can become a major challenge for them.
‘Elected representatives must become our voice’
Harish Mambadi, a Sakshama member and father of a child with a disability, said his daughter had been deprived of the monthly assistance because of the ₹32,000 annual income criterion.
He appealed to elected representatives to raise the issue in the legislature on behalf of persons with disabilities.
He said many persons with disabilities and their parents face difficulties travelling to the offices of elected representatives to submit petitions personally. The press conference was therefore also aimed at bringing the issue to the attention of people's representatives, he said.
Also Read | Will Our Elected Representatives Listen to the Concerns of Persons with Disabilities?
Sakshama vice-president Ganesh Bhat Varanasi explained the various difficulties faced by persons with disabilities.
Sakshama Dakshina Kannada secretary Harish Prabhu, joint secretary Bhaskar Hosamane, treasurer Satish Rao, women’s wing head Geetha Lakshmisha and Jyotsna Adiga were present at the press conference.
Keywords
Disability pension Karnataka, Sakshama Dakshina Kannada, ₹32,000 income limit, persons with disabilities, disability monthly assistance, Mangaluru Press Club, Citizen News Puttur