Aasara pensions to all eligible persons, says Errabelli

Replying to a question by BRS MLA G Balaraju in the Assembly, the Minister said at present, 44,12, 882 beneficiaries were getting pension every month under Aasara scheme

Hyderabad: Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister E Dayakar Rao said pensions were being extended to all eligible persons and asserted that assets and vehicles owned by them were not considered for removing their names from the eligibility list.

Replying to a question by BRS MLA G Balaraju in the Assembly, the Minister said at present, 44,12, 882 beneficiaries were getting pension every month under Aasara scheme. After the State government reduced the age limit from 65 years to 57 years for eligibility, 5,37,048 more persons got benefitted, he said.

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On the pensions being extended in BJP and Congress-ruled States, the Minister said in Manipur, Rs.200 to Rs.500 was offered while in Assam, Rs.200 to Rs.300 was offered.

In Uttar Pradesh, it was Rs.1,000 while in the Congress-ruled Chattisgarh, Rs.350 to Rs.600 was offered to the beneficiaries. On the contrary, Telangana was offering Rs.2,016 to Rs.3,016, he said.

“BJP leaders from the State should check pensions offered in BJP-ruled States before demanding that the Telangana government increase the pension further,” Dayakar Rao said.

Before the formation of Telangana, successive governments were spending Rs.861 crore annually towards pensions. The BRS government was spending Rs.941 crore monthly, he said.