Hyderabad: Criticism over delay in distribution of pensions and ration cards to the poor has forced the Telangana government to direct district collectors to expedite the verification process, identify the beneficiaries and make their list public.
Though it is two months since the new pension scheme was launched, officials failed to distribute pensions for old age, widow and physically challenged so far.
The CM expressed displeasure over the functioning of collectors saying that the delay in identifying beneficiaries had brought disrepute to the government even though the pension was hiked by five times from Rs 200 to Rs 1,000 and increasing ration quota significantly. “Give pensions and ration cards to all the eligible.
Don’t impose restrictions on number of beneficiaries because it would burden the government financially. Our aim is that all eligible should be covered irrespective of their numbers," Mr Rao remarked.
He directed collectors to distribute enhanced pensions and ration quota to all the eligible from January 1, 2015, without fail. Mr Rao has set the deadline of December 15 for identifying pension beneficiaries and Decmeber 31 for ration beneficiaries.
