The Syro Malabar Church issued a statement on Thursday, strongly criticizing media reports that it says have misrepresented a recent Kerala cabinet decision regarding pension eligibility for unmarried women. The church emphasized that the decision aims to remove barriers for all eligible unmarried women above the age of 50, including ascetics living in convents, ashrams, and religious institutions, rather than granting pensions exclusively to nuns as some reports suggested.
Clarification on Pension Criteria and Misrepresentation
In a Facebook post, the Syro Malabar media commission addressed what it called a widespread misrepresentation of the government's move. The post explained that the decision is based on the existing criteria outlined in order GO (MS) 14/2001, issued on March 31, 2011. According to this order, applicants must not be receiving benefits from any social security scheme and must not have anyone to care for them. Additionally, residents of care institutions, such as poor homes, are not eligible, and the annual income should not exceed Rs 1 lakh.
Historical Context and Recent Changes
The post highlighted that previously, women who were part of various religious orders were excluded from this pension scheme. This exclusion was due to factors like having a community to support them and some members receiving government salaries. However, the government has now decided to remove these obstacles, a change that the church welcomes as a positive step toward inclusivity.
The Syro Malabar media commission expressed hope that practical steps to implement these changes would be announced soon. It noted that nuns and other ascetics have often been denied many benefits available to ordinary citizens because of their dedicated lifestyles. For instance, the post mentioned that even ration cards were made accessible to them only recently.
Call for Fairness and Inclusivity
The church's statement called on the government to ensure that all eligible citizens, regardless of their religion or lifestyle, receive the benefits they are entitled to. It stressed that the pension scheme is designed to benefit all unmarried women who lack a steady income or government benefits, not just a specific group.
When the scheme is restructured to include deserving ascetics from all religions, claims that the government is unfairly providing benefits exclusively to nuns are not only misleading but also socially divisive, the post added. The Syro Malabar Church urged for accurate reporting and public understanding to avoid creating unnecessary controversy over a decision meant to promote social welfare.
