66 Lakh Beneficiaries to Benefit in AP with Enhanced Pension Amount

Vijayawada: The YSRC government is offering Rs 3,000 as YSR Pension Kanuka from January 1, 2024, as a New Year gift. Under this, 66 lakh persons would get the benefit across Andhra Pradesh.

Stating this here on Thursday, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy said officials should involve all sections in Pension Kanuka in a festive

atmosphere.

He said Aasara would be held from January 23 to 31 after inauguration of the 125-feet tall Ambedkar statue on Jan 19. Cheyutha will be held from Feb 5 to 14.

The Chief Minister directed district collectors to make fool-proof

arrangements for implementing welfare programmes like the YSR Pension Kanuka, YSR Cheyutha and YSR Asara in January and February.

Reviewing the arrangements with the district collectors and senior officials in virtual mode from here, the Chief Minister asked officials to make proper arrangements for inauguration of the Babasaheb Ambedkar statue in Vijayawada on Jan 19.

He said the government has proved its credibility by implementing the

election promise of a pension hike.

"Now that the monthly social pensions were hiked to Rs 3000, the inauguration of the statue scheduled for 19 and the YSR Aasara and YSR Cheyuta taking place during Jan 23–31 and February 5–14, respectively, the pre-launch and post-launch event arrangements also should be perfect and reflecting a festive atmosphere," the Chief Minister said.

Jagan Mohan Reddy said, "With the monthly social pensions and the number of pensioners going up  -- pensions to Rs 3000 from Rs 1000 and pensioners to 66 lakh from 33 lakh respectively -- in the last four-and-a-half-years, the government’s monthly expenditure on social pensions has also gone up to Rs 1950 crore. It was only Rs 400 crore during the Telugu Desam rule. These matters should be explained to the people."

Jagan Mohan Reddy stated, "We are also delivering the monthly pensions to all eligible



persons by sunrise on the first of every month. The 1.7 lakh persons who missed the pensions for various reasons would be added to the beneficiaries’ list even before the bi-annual programme on Jan 5. This would take the total number of pensioners to 66, 34, 742 and the monthly expenditure to Rs 1968 crore."

"MLAs, volunteers, enthusiasts and other people’s representatives should participate in the 8-day Pension Kanuka programme beginning Jan 1 in every mandal and hand over my (CM Jagan) personal letter and video message to the beneficiaries. I would join the programme at Kakinada on Jan 3," the CM said.

He said, "Braving all odds, the state government is incurring an expense of around Rs 23,000 crore annually on pension scheme, thereby fulfilling an election promise and implementing it with the active involvement of volunteers and village and ward secretariat staff."

The government has been extending this service to protect the self-respect of pensioners who were neglected during the TD rule, he said.

The Chief Minister said the success stories of pensioners and other

beneficiaries should be made into videos. The best video-makers would be rewarded with a cash prize of Rs 10,000, Rs 15,000, Rs 20,000 and Rs 25,000 at village, mandal, constituency and district levels respectively, he said.

He said the best volunteers would also be presented with Seva Mitra, Seva Ratna and Seva Vajra awards on Feb 15-16. The government has so far spent Rs 19,195crore and Rs 14, 129crore for YSR Aasara and YSR Cheyuta respectively.

An awareness campaign should be undertaken on how these programmes have successfully transformed the lives of beneficiaries, he said.

Speaking about the Ambedkar statue inauguration, Jagan Mohan Reddy said it would remain as a symbol of social justice and Gram Swaraj. At least five persons from each secretariat should be invited to the inauguration, he said.