Dehradun: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday provided major relief to lakhs of beneficiaries under various pension schemes of the Social Welfare Department. During a program held at the Secretariat, the Chief Minister released the pension amount for the month of April with a single click.
Under fully state-funded schemes, a total amount of ₹111 crore 82 lakh 52 thousand was transferred to the accounts of 7,56,682 pensioners. The schemes include old age pension, widow pension, disability pension, farmer pension, abandoned women pension, maintenance grant, Teelu Rauteli pension, and dwarf pension.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the state government is working with the spirit of Antyodaya and is giving special attention to the empowerment of economically and socially weaker sections. He said that multipurpose camps are being organized continuously to ensure eligible people receive the benefits of various schemes, due to which more than 60,000 new people are joining social welfare pension schemes every year.
The Chief Minister instructed officials to continue organizing such camps regularly in the future. He also said that people completing 59 years of age should be surveyed in advance and necessary formalities should be completed so that eligible persons can start receiving pension benefits immediately after turning 60.
He further said that income limits should be made more practical so that the benefits of schemes can reach a larger number of people. He also directed that information regarding all departmental schemes should be made available at one place.
The Chief Minister instructed officials to adopt innovations and develop better systems in the field of social welfare. He also directed that regular communication with elderly people and pensioners should be maintained through call centers.
On this occasion, Social Welfare Minister Khajan Das said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the department is delivering scheme benefits to needy people with complete transparency.
