Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Wednesday claimed that the pension amount being given to different categories of pensioners is the highest in Telangana State when compared to other States in the country.
While Telangana Government is giving Rs 1500/- pension for disabled, Rs 1,000 each to old age and widow pension, it ranges from Rs 275 to Rs 1200 in other states. He enclosed a list of 13 States for comparative analysis.
Making a statement on “Aasara” pensions on the floor of State Legislative Assembly here, the Chief Minister said that the Aasara pension schemes is meant to protect the most vulnerable sections of society, particular the old and infirm, people with HIV-AIDS, widows, incapacitated weavers and toddy tappers, who have lost their means of livelihood with growing age, in order to support their day to day minimum needs required to lead a life of dignity and social security.
“In the past, social security pensions provided were meager and barely sufficient to cover the basis minimum requirements of the needy. Pensions @ Rs 200/- per month to old age persons and widows and Rs 500 p.m. to the disabled persons were being paid in the past. With a view to combat the ever-increasing cost of living and inflation, the government introduced a new scheme called Aasara pensions,” the Chief Minister said.
KCR said that in the past, Rs 881.23 crore per year was spent by the previous government. Now the present government is going to spending Rs 3,350 crore per year for payment of pensions under the new Aasara Pension scheme. This is 380 per cent increase over the past.
In all the 10 districts of the State, 39.63 lakh applications were received for sanction of pensions. Government officers have taken up thorough verification of eligible persons and the process of fresh pensions is still in progress. So far, about 24.21 lakh eligible beneficiaries are identified for granting of pensions under the scheme, he said. (INN)