Nearly 90 lakh ration cardholders and around 12 lakh beneficiaries of social security pension schemes in Tamil Nadu may not be entitled to receive assistance under the Centre’s latest welfare package.
As per the announcement by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday, the poor will receive 5 kg rice or wheat each free for the next three months, in addition to their current entitlement. Besides, one kg pulse will be given. Senior citizens (aged above 60), widows and differently abled will be given an ex gratia of ₹ 1,000 each for three months.
In Tamil Nadu, the State government has been following the concept of universal public distribution system unlike the Centre’s targeted PDS. This is why every beneficiary covered under the PDS is entitled to 5 kg rice or wheat free of cost, regardless of economic status, since the State joined others in November 2016 in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
There are about 2.01 crore rice-drawing cards in the State, of which only 1.11 crore cards are covered under the NFSA. In other words, of the 6.7 crore beneficiaries, approximately 3.65 crore come under the Act.
Sop to pensioners
Likewise, of 32 lakh beneficiaries under nine social security pension schemes being implemented in the State, 20 lakh beneficiaries are covered under the Central schemes such as the National Old Age Pension Scheme, National Widow Pension Scheme and National Disability Pension Scheme, all named after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and they alone will get the ex gratia amount from the Centre. The remaining 12 lakh beneficiaries come under the State government’s schemes for destitute widows, the destitute or deserted wives, unmarried/incapacitated poor women of 50 years and above, refugees from Sri Lanka and members of the Farmers’ Protection Scheme.
While the Centre provides a pension of ₹200 to persons in the 60-79 age group [₹ 300 to those covered under the Disability and Widow Pension Schemes] and ₹500 to those who are 80 and above. the State government actually disburses ₹1,000 a month uniformly, mostly through bank accounts.
A top official says the government is to decide on extending the relief measures to those who have been left out. Others in the government feel that given the State government’s approach of providing maximum relief to all people under the present circumstances, it would, in all likelihood, take a favourable decision. Many point out that Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, only a few days ago, announced in the Assembly that in April, all ration cardholders would get ₹1,000 each, in addition to getting their entitlements of rice, sugar, pulses and edible oil free of cost. Construction workers and autorickshaw drivers would get ₹1,000 each. Each of their families would receive 15 kg rice, one kg pulses and one kg of edible oil free. Inter-state workers under the construction and unorganised sector, stranded in Tamil Nadu, would get the essential commodities free.
