Utilisation Pattern and Satisfaction Level of Old Age Pension Beneficiaries in Kannur District of Keralam

The proportion of the elderly population is steadily increasing in both India and Keralam as part of the demographic transition and is projected to rise to even higher levels in the future. For economically poor and marginalised groups, social security pensions play an important role in ensuring descend minimum standard of living. The Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) was introduced to provide financial assistance and social protection to elderly persons belonging to economically weaker sections, particularly those living below the poverty line. The success of the scheme largely depends on how beneficiaries utilise the financial assistance and the extent of their satisfaction with the support received. Against this background, the present study examines the utilisation pattern and satisfaction level of old age pension beneficiaries. The study is based on primary data collected from 50 randomly selected beneficiaries from Pariyaram Grama Panchayat. The data were analysed using simple statistical tools such as mean, median and chi-square test, along with graphs and diagrams. The findings reveals that majority of respondents utilise the pension amount mainly for basic consumption needs. However, about 80 percent of the beneficiaries reported that the pension amount is insufficient to maintain a decent standard of living. The overall mean satisfaction score of the respondents is 3.58, indicating a moderately high level of satisfaction with the scheme. The gender-wise analysis reveals that female respondents have a higher mean satisfaction score (3.89) compared to male respondents (3.18).