LUCKNOW: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath released Rs 2,955. 36 crore as pension to over 98 lakh beneficiaries on Wednesday.
These funds will cover the first quarter of this year and were distributed to beneficiaries of the old age pension, disability pension, leprosy pension and nirashrit mahila pension.
The funds for January to March were transferred directly into the accounts of 56 lakh elderly persons, 31 lakh destitute women, 11. 17 lakh specially-abled people and 11,400 leprosy patients. The CM also held a virtual interaction with beneficiaries from Bijnor, Varanasi, Saharanpur, Chitrakoot and Deoria.
“The government understands the sentiments of every deprived person and the needy, including the elderly, destitute women and divyangjan. In light of this, the government has doubled the monthly pension for all these categories. Before 2017, pension for the differently abled was Rs 300. After we were elected, we first increased it to Rs 500 and then to Rs1,000,” the CM said.
The CM spoke about the various welfare schemes introduced by his government over the past five years and said that till 2017, only 37. 47 lakh elderly people were getting a pension of Rs 500 per month. This has now been increased threefold, he said, adding that not only were 19. 47 new beneficiaries added to the list but they are now getting Rs 3,000 every quarter. In addition to this, 13. 68 lakh additional destitute women, 2. 34 lakh new specially-abled persons and 6,665 additional leprosypatients are also getting pension now.
“While the government is doing all it can to create awareness about its various welfare schemes, all beneficiaries should also spread the word so that if anyone eligible has been left out, they can also enrol for the scheme. We want to make sure that every single eligible person gets the advantage of these schemes,” the CM said.
Speaking about the Covid-19 pandemic and the challenges it posed, the CM added that a family that had lost a member to the pandemic was entitled to Rs 50,000 as aid by the government. The government had also started the Chief Minister’s Bal Sewa Yojana for the education and maintenance of children.
