The Chandrababu Naidu–led government in Andhra Pradesh has unleashed a ruthless assault on the disabled community by indiscriminately slashing pensions under the guise of “re-verification.” Despite visible disabilities and valid medical certificates, thousands of beneficiaries have been branded “ineligible” and stripped of their only lifeline, leaving many in despair and even driving some to death.
Mass Pension Cuts Across the State
Before the 2019 elections, 66.34 lakh pensions were in force. As of August 2025, that number has dropped to just 62.19 lakh, reflecting a systematic purge of beneficiaries. District after district is witnessing large-scale cancellations:
- Guntur: Out of 23,459 pensions, 2,489 were cut. Chronic illness pensions of ₹15,000 for 472 people were reduced to ₹6,000 disability pensions, while 388 beneficiaries were downgraded to old-age pensions of just ₹4,000.
- Palnadu: 3,300 differently-abled individuals were struck off citing “less than 40% disability.”
- Nellore: 4,215 disability pensions canceled, along with 597 health and 1,611 old-age pensions.
- Prakasam: Nearly 9,000 individuals declared ineligible after medical reviews, despite some having 85–90% disabilities.
- Anantapur (undivided): 9,601 pensions targeted, triggering mass protests in Agali, Hindupur, Guntakal and other towns.
- Annamayya: Over 4,000 of 29,000 pensions canceled.
- NTR District: 10,205 of 27,302 pensions stopped.
- Krishna: Thousands of notices issued; disability rights groups have warned of statewide agitation.
- East Godavari: 3,211 pensions identified for cancellation.
- Bapatla: 3,829 out of 24,660 pensions marked for removal.
Human tragedies behind the numbers
The brutality of these cuts is reflected in heartbreaking cases:
- Krishna District: Medam Lakshmi (53), disabled since birth, died of a heart attack after her pension was abruptly canceled in Movva mandal.
- Kurnool (Alur): Mahadev, 50% disabled, was removed from the beneficiary list.
- Vizianagaram (Salur): Varri Appala Ramu, who lost one eye and broke her leg, has been receiving a disability pension for 15 years. Her pension was suddenly terminated.
- Anantapur: Veluru Dheeraj Venkatanath, a child born with intellectual disability and unable to walk, was served with a cancellation notice, leaving his parents shattered.
Widespread anger and protests
Across Andhra Pradesh, bedridden and severely disabled people are being forced to line up outside government offices to “prove” their disability once again. In Prakasam, beneficiaries stormed the “Mee Kosam” program in Ongole with cancellation notices in hand. In Anantapur, victims staged protests at collectors’ offices and hospitals.
Disability rights groups have condemned the government’s actions as “state-sponsored cruelty”, warning of mass movements if pensions of the genuinely disabled continue to be revoked.
