The ongoing protests by the State government employees ‘would not impact’ the disbursal of social security pensions in the State, scheduled for Tuesday, the first day of the month.
The Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) has geared up to ‘distribute the pensions as usual’.
According to information, the role of government employees in distribution of the social security pensions is ‘minimal’.
“The drawing and disbursing officers (DDOs) have no role in the process. It is not necessary to prepare the bills for social security pensions by the DDOs. SERP officials do it. So,there won’t be any problem. Again, the pensions are distributed at the doorstep of beneficiaries by the village and ward volunteers, which further eliminates the involvement of government employees,” an official said.
The State government enhanced the social security pensions to ₹2,500 per month in January from ₹2,250 paid in December 2021.
Over 62 lakh beneficiaries were paid their pensionsamounting to₹1,450 crore every month till December. With the fresh enhancement to ₹2,500, the monthly expenditure goes up to ₹1,570 crore.
The government is implementing an Artificial Intelligence-based Real Time Beneficiary Identification System (RBIS) for the authentication of pensioners. If both systems— biometric and RBIS— fail to recognise the beneficiary, the authorised biometrics of the family members of the pensioner would be considered.
Social security pensions are being givento elderly people, widows, toddy tappers, weavers, single women, fishermen, ART (PLHIV) Persons, traditional cobblers, disabled persons, transgenders and dappu artistes.
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