Chhattisgarh Pension Struggle: 9km Journey on Back for 90-Year-Old

The image of a woman trekking through hills with a 90-year-old relative on her back has become a stark symbol of administrative failure in Chhattisgarh's Surguja region. Sukhmuniya Bai's arduous 9-kilometer journey to the Narmadapur Central Bank was undertaken to secure a pension amount that had been pending for three months. While the family ultimately received Rs 1,500, the physical and emotional cost of the journey has raised serious questions about the 'Digital India' narrative in tribal belts. Local residents allege that while 'Bank Mitras' or banking correspondents were previously active in the area, the elderly are now frequently required to visit bank branches in person for verification and withdrawals. This systemic rigidity has left the most vulnerable citizens in a state of desperation, forcing them to risk their health and safety for basic survival funds that are their legal right.