The YSRCP government distributed social security pension to over 54 lakh beneficiaries at their doorstep, as part of the ‘'Intivadhakey Pension' (Pension to your Doorstep) program launched across the state on Saturday.
Village and ward volunteers across the state distributed Rs 1,320.14 crore among about 54.64 lakh beneficiaries under various categories in a single day under YSR Pension Kanuka programme.
The initiative was launched as part of decentralisation of administration.
The scheme marks the implementation of yet another scheme under 'Navaratnalu' promised in the party's election manifesto.
Officials claimed that Andhra Pradesh is the first state in the country to take up such an initiative.
After reviewing the implementation of the scheme, CM Jagan reportedly said the programme was being carried out without the involvement of middlemen and without corruption or negligence in its implementation. He also said the selection of 25 lakh beneficiaries for house sites, and beneficiaries for ‘Jagananna Vidya Deevena’ programme would be finalised this month through the village secretariats.
While the government has earmarked Rs 15,675.20 crore for the current year towards the programme, Rs 1,320.14 crore for the month of February was paid on Saturday.
"Instead of the beneficiaries going to the pension disbursement offices, the volunteers visited the beneficiaries at their doorstep and completed the formalities," Gopala Krishna Dwivedi, Principal Secretary, Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, said.
This saved old, ailing and disabled beneficiaries from the trouble of visiting pension disbursement offices.
The volunteers working for ward and village secretariats were equipped with smart phones with biometric information of the beneficiaries to deliver the pension at their doorsteps. The amount was transferred to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.
After coming to power in May last year, the Jagan Mohan Reddy government had increased the pension amount for various categories of beneficiaries, and also set up ward and village secretariats to ensure that the benefits of various government schemes reach the beneficiaries at their doorsteps in urban and rural areas.
The government is now paying a monthly pension of Rs 2,250 to the elderly, widows, weavers, toddy tappers, fishermen, single women and traditional cobblers and others, Rs 3,000 for disabled and Rs 5,000 to Rs.10,000 for CKDU/Dialysis patients.
Senior officials like Krishna District Collector Md Imtiaz also took part in the initiative.
Gopal Krishna Dwivedi, who himself participated in the pension disbursement in Jupudi village in Krishna district, said that almost 4 lakh volunteers participated in the programme and within 5-6 hours, as many as 54.64 lakh beneficiaries received the pension amount.
IANS inputs