Vijayawada: The AP government issued an order on Thursday hiking the social security pension to Rs 3,000 per month from the present Rs 2750. The increase is effective from January 2024 as a New Year gift.
Special chief secretary to the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development department, B Rajsekhar, issued GO Ms-96 for enhancement of the pension amount from Rs 2,750 to Rs 3,000 for Old Age Pensioners (OAPs), widows, weavers, toddy tappers, fishermen, single women, traditional cobblers and PLHIV (ART pensions) categories under the YSR Pension Kanuka with effect from Dec2023 and payable with effect from January 2024.
The order said the state government is committed to the welfare and development of all segments of the society and has been implementing Navarathnalu comprising various welfare and developmental programmes.
“As part of the Navarathnalu, enhancement of pension amount and a reduction in the age criteria for old-age pension were done to ameliorate the hardships of the poor and vulnerable sections of the society, particularly the old and infirm, widows and persons with disability.”
Notably, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy during the 2019 elections promised to increase the social security pension to Rs 3,000 in a phased manner of increasing Rs 250 per annum. Accordingly, the pension amount was hiked to Rs 2750.
The CEO, SERP, has submitted proposals for enhancement of pensions from Rs 2,750 to Rs 3,000 per month to categories like Old Age Pensioners (OAP), widows, weavers, toddy tappers, fishermen, single women, traditional cobblers and PLHIV (ART Pensioner) categories under YSR Pension Kanuka with effect from December 2023 payable from 1st January 2024.
This entails an additional financial commitment of Rs 139,21.82 lakh per month. The additional financial commitment for the current financial year 2023-24 -- from December 2023 to March 2024 (4 months) -- worked out to Rs 556,87.28 lakhs.
The chief minister has ordered the hike in pension to Rs 3,000 per month from January. Accordingly, the orders were issued.
“The CM fulfilled all poll promises with the hike of the pension amount. The distribution of pensions at doorsteps through village and ward volunteers is a revolutionary step in the country,” ministers and YSRC legislators said.
