Pension to 4 lakh people soon: Harish Rao

Finance Minister T Harish Rao on Wednesday said the State government would soon provide pension to four lakh people who had crossed the age of 57.

“The pension, which comes as a big boon for the people, has helped the elderly and physically challenged to maintain their self-respect. Mothers-in-law are helping daughters-in-law with the support of pensions now,” Harish Rao said after distributing interest-free loan cheques to self-help groups women at a programme held in the Jammikunta agriculture market. In all, cheques worth Rs 2.13 crore were distributed.

Speaking on the occasion, Harish said the State government had introduced a number of welfare and developmental schemes in the last seven years. To help marriages of poor women, the State government introduced the Kalyana Laxmi scheme. The amount provided under the scheme was also increased from R 50,000 to Rs one lakh, he pointed out.

People, who were scared of visiting



government hospitals, are now showing interest to get treatment in government hospitals. This is only because of facilities developed in hospitals by the government. Lactating women are being given Rs 13,000 under KCR Kit, and no BJP ruled State has implemented such schemes, he said.

The BJP government at the Centre was imposing a huge burden on the common public. Besides enhancing cooking gas prices to Rs 1,000, prices of diesel, petrol and edible oils have also been hiked.

About 1.30 lakh vacant jobs were recruited in the State after the formation of Telangana and contemplating filling another 50 to 60 thousand jobs in the coming days. While the Telangana government was filling jobs, the Central government was abolishing posts by selling public sector undertakings.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao sanctioned 4,000 double bedroom hours to each Minister and 5,000 houses to Huzurabad constituency.