Andhra Pradesh Government stops 3.6 lakh pensions to families with 1+beneficiaries

Guntur: The State government has directed officials to stop reverification of 3.6 lakh pensions of double entries for the families having more than one pension card.

Principal Secretary Panchayat Raj department Gopala Krishna Dwivedi issued orders to this effect on Tuesday. Taking coming Gram Panchayat elections into consideration, orders were issued, it is learnt.

According to sources in the Rural Development department, the government has identified 3.6 lakh families enjoying more than one pension under the YSR Pension Kanuka Scheme in the State.

Following orders of the government, the DRDA officials started verification. While some families are having two pensions, other families are having more than two pensions.

For old age pensions, wife and husband got two ration cards and they are enjoying two pensions. In some cases, their physically challenged son also enjoying pension under YSR Pension Kanuka.

According to by-laws of the Andhra Pradesh Brahmin Welfare Corporation Ltd, wife, husband in the poor Brahmins family are eligible to get pension. Recently, the government transferred the pension payments in Brahmin Welfare Corporation Ltd to YSR Pension Kanuka scheme.

When the government took steps to cancel one pension of those who are enjoying two pensions in the poor Brahmin family, the Deputy Speaker in the State Legislative Assembly Kona Raghupati, MLA and AP Brahmin Welfare Corporation Ltd chairman Malladi Vishnu met Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and explained about by-laws of AP Brahmin Welfare Corporation and requested to continue to two pensions for poor Brahmins families. Jagan Mohan Reddy accepted their request.

When the officials have taken steps for reverification of 3.6 lakh pensions including 36,000 double pensions in one family in Guntur district, the government directed the Rural Development department to stop verification of double and three pensions in one family. Meanwhile, some persons forged the date of birth in the Aadhaar cards and enjoying pensions under YSR Pension Kanuka Scheme. Following orders of the government the DRDA officials stopped re-verification of double, three pensions beneficiaries enjoying pensions with forged date of birth in Aadhaar cards.