AP government to distribute welfare pensions from tomorrow

Vijayawada: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday made amendments to the guidelines formulated by the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) for the distribution of social welfare pensions to the beneficiaries in a phased manner for three days starting April 3 (Wednesday).

Currently, the village and ward secretariats across the state have only 1.27 lakh staff against a total of 2.60 lakh. Due to the staff crunch, the State government would distribute the pension to the beneficiaries in phases. The village and ward secretariats would function from 9 am to 7 pm.

The ECI directed the Andhra Pradesh government to distribute the pension to the beneficiaries for widows, differently-abled and severely sick persons at their doorstep by the village and ward secretariat staff. The rest of the beneficiaries would receive their monthly pension at their respective village and ward secretariats.

The ECI also directed the district collectors to make necessary arrangements for distributing the pension to the beneficiaries in the tribal hamlets far away from the secretariats.

A couple of days ago, the ECI prohibited the services of village and ward volunteers to distribute welfare benefits to the beneficiaries in the state following a complaint filed by Citizens for Democracy – a civil organisation – general secretary and former state election commissioner (SEC) Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar.