Andhra: Chandrababu Naidu fulfills poll promise, hands over revised welfare pension to beneficiaries

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu started distributing revised welfare pensions at Penumaka under the Mangalagiri Assembly segment on Monday.

Over 65.31 lakh beneficiaries across the State will receive their pensions on July 1.

As part of the programme, the chief minister visited a beneficiary's house and chatted with the family members for some time and then personally handed over the pension money to three beneficiaries.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government fulfilled its first promise to revise NTR Bharosa pensions by increasing the assistance from Rs 3000 to Rs 4000. A total of 1,20,097 employees have been drafted for this purpose.

"I am sanctioning a house for you. We will build a house for you," said Naidu to the beneficiary family, and directed district officials to team up with the Campus Region Development Authority (CRDA) officials to build houses for eligible persons in Penumaka area.

MPs and MLAs will also take part in the pension distribution programme which will be conducted in various parts of the State.

On Monday, beneficiaries of 28 various sections will be receiving the revised pension, including the arrears for the past three months. The total amount to be distributed to every beneficiary will be Rs 7,000. It includes Rs 4,000 monthly pension for June and Rs 3,000 arrears which are due for the past three months.

The old, widows, single women, handloom workers, toddy tappers, fishermen, transgenders, and artists of different kinds will be getting Rs 4,000 as a pension, while for the physically challenged the pension has been revised to Rs 6,000 from Rs 3,000 per month). For those 24,318 beneficiaries who have been suffering from serious ailments, the pension has been increased to Rs 15,000 from Rs 5,000.

According to the TDP, the additional burden on the exchequer due to the revision of pension is expected to be more than Rs 819 cr per month while the total amount being distributed as pension per month now amounts to Rs 4,408 cr, which is now being distributed in a single day on Monday, July 1. The State Government will have to bear an extra Rs 1650 cr to clear the dues for the past three months.

The previous YSRCP government has spent merely Rs 1939 crore per month as pensions while the present Government has to spend Rs 34,000 cr per annum for the purpose.