Doorstep deliver of pension from May 13: Minister Ashoka

Bengaluru: Revenue Minister R Ashoka has announced the launching of a new toll-free helpline number 155245 for people to raise issues or get their doubts cleared on the revenue department's programmes. He also announced the launch of doorstep delivery of pension within 72 hours of submitting application from May 13.

Speaking to media persons, Ashoka said that currently pensions are being disbursed to aged, differently abled, widows, unmarried women and divorced women, transgender, victims of acid attacks and endosulfan impact.

"There are 73.23 lakh beneficiaries of these monthly pension schemes. In the financial year 2020-21, Rs 7,800 crore was allocated for disbursing pensions. This financial year, Rs 9,483.51 crore has been earmarked for the purpose. The State government has hiked the pension for senior citizens (above 65 years) from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200, widows from Rs 600 to Rs 800, specially abled from Rs 1,400 to Rs 2,000, Manaswini pension from Rs 600 to Rs 800 and acid victims' pension from Rs 3,000 to Rs 10,000," Ashoka said.

"The door-step delivery of pension is one of the first such experiments in the entire country. The department concerned will accept pension requests via telephone call. The beneficiary has to provide an Aadhaar number so that the application can be forwarded to the respective village accountant (VA) who will then visit the house of the beneficiaries' who have to produce original Aadhaar card, bank/post office account, address and other documents.

Then, the application will be forwarded to the deputy tahsildar's office which will do all the necessary validation and beneficiaries will get an sms update on sanctioning of pension within 72 hours," Ashoka added.