Disabled Citizens in Ulhasnagar Left Struggling Without Monthly Allowance

More than 2,200 disabled citizens in Ulhasnagar are yet to receive their monthly allowance from the civic body, triggering anger among beneficiaries who say the delay has left them struggling to afford medicines, food and other daily necessities.The Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) provides a monthly honorarium of Rs 2,200 to disabled residents under its welfare scheme. However, even after May 18, the allowance for April has still not been credited to beneficiaries’ accounts.AdvertisementSeveral beneficiaries alleged that civic officials have repeatedly cited “non-receipt of budget funds” as the reason behind the delay. Residents, however, questioned how the administration could still blame budget-related issues despite the new financial year having started on April 1.“The government may see this as just a delayed payment, but for us this money means survival. We depend on it for medicines, food and household expenses,” said one beneficiary.Another resident said the uncertainty every month has become mentally exhausting. “We are not asking for charity. This is our right. Every month we wait helplessly, hoping the money comes before our medicines run out,” the resident said.According to sources, the delay is linked to administrative mismanagement within the civic body. Several employees were earlier deployed for the ongoing SIR campaign and were later assigned census-related duties. During the reshuffling of manpower, officials allegedly failed to ensure timely processing of welfare schemes such as the disabled allowance.Sources said the list of beneficiaries was reportedly not forwarded to the finance department on time, resulting in the payment process being stalled.Families dependent on the allowance said the delay has had a direct impact on their daily lives. Many beneficiaries rely entirely on the monthly honorarium to purchase medicines, pay utility bills and manage transportation expenses.The issue has now sparked political outrage as well. Prahar Janshakti Party’s Thane district president Adv. Swapnil Patil accused the administration of treating disabled citizens with insensitivity and warned of a sit-in protest outside the municipal headquarters from 11 am on Wednesday if the payments are not released immediately.“The administration has taken disabled citizens for granted. Because of poor planning and negligence, thousands are being forced to suffer mentally and financially,” Patil alleged.The latest controversy has also revived questions over the functioning of the civic body’s Disability Welfare Department.In September 2025, an inquiry committee appointed by the UMC had flagged alleged financial irregularities in the department involving the purchase of smart sticks and walking sticks meant for visually impaired citizens.According to the inquiry findings, smart sticks available online for nearly Rs 2,000 were allegedly purchased by the civic body for around Rs 12,000 each, while regular walking sticks costing nearly Rs 2,000 were reportedly bought for Rs 8,200 each. The report had recommended action against senior officials over alleged irregularities and lack of transparency in the procurement process.Now, with the monthly allowance once again delayed, beneficiaries say the administration has failed to learn from past controversies and continues to neglect one of the city’s most vulnerable sections.