Another Historic Move: Door Delivery Of Pensions Begin In AP

AMARAVATI: AP Government's one of the historic and prestigious schemes of delivering social security pensions at doorstep has begun across 13 districts in the state on Saturday. It is a part of the state’s government’s initiative of door delivery of services through the Ward and Village Volunteer system. The pensions are being given by the village and ward volunteers reaching the doorsteps of the beneficiaries’.

A revolutionary change has been taken place in the YSRC government’s ambitious scheme “YSR Pension Kaanuka”. The beneficiaries’ expressed happiness over the delivery of pensions at their doorsteps. As many as 54,64 lakh beneficiaries will get their social security pensions in the state.

Adding a new chapter to the decentralized administration spectrum, Village and Ward volunteers have fanned out to the doorstep of beneficiaries to complete the pension disbursement.

Armed with biometric equipment and data, the volunteers reached out to the pensioners of all categories across the State on Saturday, to carry out the procedure and ensure the pension is created to the beneficiaries' bank accounts.

Seeing the governance rolling out in full steam and its functioning very much tangible, the beneficiaries, old, sick and disabled, are saved from the trouble of visiting the pension disbursement offices with the volunteers coming to their doorstep to deliver the pension.

Not just the village and ward volunteers, senior officials in the State government has also taken part in this initiative and made their way to the doors of beneficiaries to distribute the pension. Krishna district Collector Md Imtiaz visited a house of mentally challenged girl and gave the pension to her.

A beneficiary who received the pension said, "we are always thankful to the Jagan Anna government. Earlier we used to wait for hours in the pension offices to receive our pension. Also we have to take a day off from our work to get the pension, losing the wages for that day. But now, we are extremely happy with this initiative, as the volunteers are coming home in the early hours by 6 am and giving our pension amount on the first day it self."

Speaking to media,Gopala Krishna Dwivedi,Principal Secretary PR & RD who participated in Pension disbursement in Jupudi village Krishna District, said, "Through village and ward volunteers we are distributing the pension right at the doorstep of the beneficiary. Almost 4 lakhs volunteers are on this initiative today and with in 5-6 hours, as many as 54.6 lakh beneficiaries are to get their pensions. This is the first time that any state in the country has taken up such initiative, where lakhs are people are going to receive their pensions without any hassles. There are many more such initiatives by the state government which are going to be launched soon for the public."

On Saturday itself, about 54.64 lakh beneficiaries will receive their pension at their door-step through village and ward volunteers for which Rs 1320.14 crores has been released by the State government. The Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy increased the pension benefit to Rs 2,250 from Rs 1,000 and further allocated Rs 15,675.20 crores for the year towards the programme.

The Government has further modified the existing eligibility criteria for sanction of pensions under ‘YSR Pension Kanuka’ in such a way that the benefit of pension shall reach all sections of the needy people intended for the pension.

In Old Age Pension (OAP), Widow, Weavers, Toddy Tappers, Fishermen, Single Women, Traditional Cobblers and PLHIV (ART Pensions ) categories Rs.2,250 every month is being provided and for Disabled Pensions Rs.3,000 per month and CKDU/Dialysis Pensions Rs 5,000 to Rs.10,000 per month is being given. Also the age for old age pensioners (OAP) has been reduced from 65 to 60 years. With the increase in the pensioners, the list of beneficiaries has gone up to 54.64 lakh this year.

Also Read: AP: 54.64 Lakh Beneficiaries To Receive Pensions From Feb 1st