After 34 Years, 90-Year-Old Janardhanan Finally Receives His Pension

Kottayam: It was just 2,394 rupees, the amount that should have reached V A Janardhanan when he became eligible for his pension. But it took 34 long years for that modest sum to finally arrive. At 90, as the money quietly appeared in his account, Janardhanan smiled and said, “It isn’t a big amount. But there’s satisfaction in knowing I’ve finally received what was rightfully mine. That’s what matters to me now.”

His file, buried in the maze of bureaucracy for over three decades, was finally cleared as part of the state government’s ongoing drive to resolve long- pending cases.

Janardhanan, who lives in Vattod, Nagampadam, began his service in 1958 as a Health Inspector in the Cochin Municipality. By 1978, he was a Senior Health Inspector at the Kottayam Medical College Hospital, and a member of the government’s Family Welfare Scheme, which required a monthly contribution of 10 rupees. For 13 years, he paid without fail, the plan promising that, upon retirement, contributors would receive their share along with a small government contribution.

When he retired in 1991, at the age of 55, that payment got tangled in technical confusion. Though he had started his career under the Department of Economics and Statistics, he retired from the Cochin Corporation, and it wasn’t clear which department was responsible for releasing the funds. Letters went back and forth for years between offices, but the money never came.

Life moved on. His children built their careers, and the family became comfortable. Yet, Janardhanan couldn’t bring himself to give up on that tiny, forgotten sum. It wasn’t about the money anymore, it was about closure.

When his recent complaint reached the current LDF government, the matter was taken up swiftly. Senior Accounts Officer Sam John of the Department of Economics and Statistics moved the old file forward without delay. The payment was approved, and the order was issued on September 21. A few days later, the money was finally credited to his account.

“The government’s intervention deserves appreciation,” Janardhanan said with quiet pride. “No matter how small the amount, there’s something deeply meaningful about getting back what’s yours.”

His late wife, Saralamma, would have shared that joy. Their children, Jithesh J Babu, Ratheesh J Babu, and J Jisha, now see in their father’s persistence a quiet reminder that justice, however delayed, still matters.