Pension @ doorstep

Vijayawada: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu created history of sorts by becoming the first CM in the country to go to the people and launch distribution of social welfare pensions at their doorsteps at 6 am. All ministers and MLAs simultaneously took up the pension distribution programme in their respective constituencies.

"This is the first step towards improving the living standards of the people," said Naidu at Penumaka Masjid centre after he personally handed over pension money to Islavath Sai, Banavath Pamulyanayak and Banavath Sita in their hut. He spent some time interacting with them and enjoyed tea with them. After listening to their living conditions, he said, “I am sanctioning a house for you. We will build a house for you," and directed district officials to team up with the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) officials to build houses for eligible persons in the Penumaka area. He emphasised on the importance of education to the family members and also enterprising nature to supplement their income.

Later, Naidu held ‘Prajavedika’ in Penumaka village in Guntur district. He said the new government has launched the pension distribution scheme as a first step towards fulfilling the promises made to people. Promising to focus on the poor, he said his dream is to see a poverty-free society without economic imbalances and exhorted that their thinking is innovative.

Further, the CM noted that there is an immediate need to check spiralling prices of all essential commodities and assured to fulfill the promises of filling up vacant teacher posts and setting up Anna Canteens, among others.

He said that training will soon be imparted to the youth to sharpen their skills and to provide better employment opportunities. “The more strength the Government gets the more benefits that can be distributed to the people," he observed.

The state government started the procedure to disburse Rs 7,000 as pension to eligible beneficiaries, which includes the enhanced amount of Rs 1,000 each for April, May and June, along with July's pension of Rs 4,000.

The Rs 1,000 hike in monthly pensions has raised the financial burden on the state government by Rs 819 crore while a similar amount for the preceding three months has put on an additional burden of Rs 1,650 crore.

The new government has also increased pensions to eligible specially-abled persons from Rs 3,000 per month to Rs 6,000.