Beneficiaries wait in hope of higher pensions

Adilabad: Social security pensioners have high hopes that the TRS government will increase the pension amount for them. The TRS government after coming to power in 2014 had increased the pension amounts for pensioners. Pensioners are paid between RS 1,000 and Rs 1,500 a month now whereas they used to get just Rs 200 pension earlier.

In erstwhile Adilabad district, there are 3,62,721 beneficiaries of social security pensions. There are 1,13,938 old age pensioners, 37,651 disabled pensioners, widow pensioners 1,26,669, and handloom workers 844, toddy workers 1,397 and beedi workers 71,11. Apart from it, there 9,260 lonely women beneficiaries.

Now, the pensioners are expecting that their pension amounts would be doubled with the TRS being returned to power in the just concluded elections. In addition to it, the TRS also promised to reduce the age for old age pensions to 57.

Presently elderly, widow, handloom, toddy workers, lonely women, and pensioners are getting Rs.1,000 and disabled are getting Rs 1,500 with the government guarantee pensions will grow to 2016.

Each month, the government is spending a little over Rs 38.15 crore. If pensions are double, the total amount to be paid to pensioners will increase to Rs 76 crore.