Hyderabad: Telangana government relaxed norms for payment of old age, widows and handicapped pensions, but is firm on only one old age pension per family. The government decided to pay Rs 1,000 old age pension for one member in a family. Widows, handicapped persons and others, including Nalgonda fluoride victims will get Rs 1,500. It will be certified by local authorities without insisting on Aadhaar cards or other certificates and become operational from Saturday. Old age pensions are provided to persons aged 65 and above. However, the pensioners have to submit the required certificates to the authorities within three months. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao will formally launch the TRS government’s pet pension scheme Aasra (support) in Kothur village of Shadnagar mandal of Mahbubnagar district on Saturday. Ministers, MPs and legislators of respective districts will simultaneously launch the scheme in their respective districts.
Excise Minister T. Padma Rao has been deputed to Khammam since there is no representation in the cabinet from the district.
“I am very happy the TRS government is fulfilling another electoral promise of payment of pensions to the poor and weaker sections under Aasra scheme. Every eligible person will get pension and no eligible person will be deprived of it,” said K.T. Rama Rao, the IT and panchayat raj minister. Mr Rama Rao said only in the case of old age pension it has been restricted to one in the family.
“In case there is one aged person, one widow and one handicapped in a family, all three will get pensions. But if there are two aged persons, only one will get pension in a family," he clarified.
Rama Rao said for the first time this month pension would be paid in cash and subsequently through banks and post offices. Payment of pensions will continue till the month end.
Asking people not to believe rumours spread by those with vested interests, Rama Rao said while only one old age pension of Rs 1000 would be given in a family, there is no limit for widows and handicapped pensioners.
"Earlier governments paid a pittance of Rs 200 as old age and widow pension. We increased it by five times to Rs 1,000, hence certain restrictions on old age pensions.
Pensions for the handicapped of Rs 500 has been tripled to Rs 1500. It is likely to cost the exchequer about Rs 3000 crore annually as against Rs 833 crore in the past though identification of beneficiaries from 44 lakh applicants are still on"he said.
