Hyderabad, November 15:The Chief Minister, Mr K Rosaiah, on Sunday instructed officials of Rural Development and Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) to ensure that the Abhaya Hastham Pension should be in the hands of all eligible women by the first day of every month from December.
The Chief Minister reviewed the progress of the scheme, “Dr. YSR Abhaya Hastham” telephonically with the Minister for Rural Development, Mr. Vatti Vasantha Kumar and senior officials of the Department, Mr R. Subramaniam, Mr T. Vijaya Kumar and Mr. Rajasekhar at his residence.
He said that it was one of its kind scheme in the country and should be implemented in right earnest and every women member should feel proud of it. Even the Central government was also now thinking of formulating a co-contributory pension-cum-insurance scheme for women on the lines of Andhra Pradesh, he added.
The Chief Minister directed officials to constantly monitor, verify and implement the scheme in a transparent way at all levels. He also suggested that at any cost no scope should be given for any loopholes in the implementation of the scheme.
“One should always know that the scheme is exclusively meant for welfare of the women community”, he said The revolutionary pension scheme for women in the State was now operational. It was a dream scheme of former Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. The unique pension-cum-insurance scheme for all the enrolled self–help group (SHG) women members in Andhra Pradesh is a role model scheme. In 15 days from now, 2.70 lakhs women in the State who have attained the age of 60 will start getting pension at the rate of Rs.500 by bank cheque or in their Post Office accounts.
As on date, there are 1,00,76,000 SHG members under Indira Kranthi Patham Programme in the State. Complete information about 96.89 lakh members has been collected and entire data about these members has been digitalized. In all, 71.39 lakh eligible members were inducted into the scheme. Third party verification has been done for all these members and demand notice to 61.45 lakh members has been served. Demand notice from 51.60 lakh members has been received. Contribution towards premium from 37.52 lakh members was received. The State Government’s equal contribution is also in place. The process of reconciliation and subsequent transfer of funds is under process and will be completed by November 15 .
Special officers have been designated for each Mandal and currently, verification process is underway and the web-based draft sanction proceedings will be generated for all the eligible members. In this regard an Act “Andhra Pradesh Self Help Groups (SHG) Women Co-contributory Pension Act, 2009” was enacted. The Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) is the Nodal Implementation Agency (NIA) for this scheme and is empowered to implement and administer the scheme.
Under the scheme, each member would become eligible for a minimum monthly pension of Rs.500 or above, subject to fulfillment of conditions prescribed, on crossing 60 years of age, depending on the number of years of contribution and quantum of contribution made by the member.
All women between the age group of 18 to 59 years would also be eligible for life insurance cover up to Rs.30,000 in case of natural death, Rs.75,000 in case of accidental death, Rs.75,000 for permanent disability and Rs.37,500 for partial disability. Scholarship of Rs.1,200 per annum for their children studying 9th, 10th classes, Intermediate and ITI will also be paid.
The pension scheme envisages providing income security to the SHG women who are 60 years and above. It envisages that a member would contribute at the rate of Re.1 per day and the State Govt. would also contribute Re.1 per day and the Government would ensure a minimum pension of Rs.500 per month to every member above 60 years.(NSS)