Hike in pension amount must be with effect from Dec 13 last: Congress

Hyderabad: Welcoming the order issued by TRS Government enhancing the amount for all categories of Aasra pension beneficiaries, the Congress party on Friday demanded that the hike should be from retrospective effect from December 13, 2018 or maximum January and not June this year.

Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Official Spokesperson Syed Nizamuddin said that the Telangana Govt has issued G.O. Ms No. 34 on 28-05-2019 to enhance the pension amount of Rs. 1,000 for Old Age, Widow, Weavers, Toddy Tappers, Persons with HIV-AIDS, Beedi Workers, Single Women and Filaria Patients to Rs. 2,016 while the pension for Disabled will be enhanced from present Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 3,016 with effect from June and payable in July. "While we welcome the decision, but condemn the State Government for delaying the hike by six months," he said.

Nizamuddin said that it was the Congress party which originally promised to double the pension amount if voted to power in last Assembly elections. TRS simply copied the idea and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao just added Rs. 16 to the amount and promised to Rs. 2,016 monthly pension. "People believed TRS and voted for it. Elections results were declared on December 11 and KCR took oath on December 13, 2018. This promise should have been fulfilled immediately, with effect from December 13 or maximum from the month of January 2019. Therefore, the Congress party demands that the enhanced pension amount be paid with retrospective affect from December 13, 2018, when KCR took oath as CM for second term," he demanded.

Similarly, the Congress leader said that the TRS Govt had promised to enhance Rythu Bandhu amount from present Rs. 8,000 to Rs. 10,000 per acre per annum. There is still no clarity when this enhanced amount will be given, he said. Further, he said that the TRS had also promised Unemployment Allowance of Rs. 3,016 to jobless youth. Provision was also made in the Vote On Account budget for 2019-20 to pay Unemployment Allowance to nearly 5 lakh youth. However, he said that the TRS Govt did not even specify the criteria nor drafted any guidelines on the pretext of imposition of Model Code of Conduct. He demanded that the enhanced amount for Rythu Bandhu scheme and unemployment allowance should be paid with retrospective effect from December 13, 2018.

Nizamuddin said that the electoral promises should be honoured with utmost sincerity and honesty. Else, common people teach a fitting lesson to the ruling party. "TRS Government should learn lessons from the Lok Sabha elections and improve its functioning. People have already given a major shock to TRS and a personal shock to CM KCR by defeating his daughter Kavitha from Nizamabad seat. Farmers have punished KCR family for cheating them on the promise of Turmeric Board, MSP and other promises. If TRS Govt fails to fulfill electoral promises, then it will receive similar shocks in future," he said.

The TPCC Spokesperson said that the Congress has made a solid comeback under the leadership of TPCC President Capt N. Uttam Kumar Reddy. "The victory of Uttam Kumar Reddy, Komatireddy Venkatreddy and Revanth Reddy from Nalgonda, Bhongir and Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituencies respectively is a clear signal that Congress is on its way to return to power. We will continue to raise people's issues and would not rest until all pensioners are paid enhanced amount with retrospective effect from December 13, 2018," he said.

Hyderabad City Congress Committee (HCCC) Minorities Department Chairman Sameer Waliullah was also present in the press conference.