AP govt hikes welfare pension to Rs 2500; to be paid from next Jan

Vijayawada, November 25: The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to hike welfare pension to Rs 2,500 from the existing Rs 2,250.

During the last election campaign, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had promised to hike the pension amount by Rs 250 per year and make it Rs.3000 per month in a phased manner. The new pension will be applicable from January 2022.

Soon after coming into power in 2019, the government increased the pension. The pensioners however were disappointed as the government didn't increase it in the last two years due to the financial crisis.

Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy said the AP government has proposed to increase the pension amount from January 2022.

In a written response to the question raised by the TDP leaders N Rama Naidu, Adireddy Bhavani, Bendalam Ashok, and Dola Sri Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy, the minister said that the government would initiate appropriate measures to enhance the pension amount from next January.

Minister said that state government is spending a good amount on welfare pensions -- old aged, widow, physically challenged and people with chronic diseases.

In a written response to the YSRCP legislators RJ Roja, V Kalavathi, Reddy Santhi, Vidadala Rajani, J Padmavathi, and N Dhana Lakshmi, the minister said that the state government had been spending close to Rs 1450 crore per month to disburse the welfare pensions.

The minister said it was only Rs 281 crore per month for the welfare pensions in 2014. He said the pension bill was Rs 501 crore till October 2018. However, it jumped to Rs 962 crore by November 2018. The budget for pension amount has gone up to Rs.1472 crore per month during 2020-21 and it was brought down to Rs.1448.97 crore per month after introducing several pension reforms.