Vijayawada: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has asserted that only Andhra Pradesh is providing a social security pension of Rs 3,000 per head to 66 lakh beneficiaries in the state “while no other state is doing so to their people.”
In interaction with beneficiaries of the pension at Venkatachalampalli of Darsi mandal in Prakasam district on Monday, the CM stated that the YSRC government had been providing pensions to over 66 lakh beneficiaries by spending a whopping Rs 2,000 crore per month without any corruption and without showing any discrimination based on caste, religion and political affiliation to the beneficiaries.
Jagan Mohan Reddy interacted with the pensioners as part of his ongoing Memantha Siddham yatra on the 11th day.
He explained the difference in distribution of pension by the present YSRC government and the previous Telugu Desam regime. He said that the TD government used to give pensions to only 39 lakh beneficiaries at the rate of Rs 1,000 per head. “The TD enhanced the pension to Rs 2,000 just two months before the conduct of polls.”
He said that the YSRC government enhanced the pension to Rs 3,000 later, and expanded the reach of pensions to 66.34 akh beneficiaries.
The CM said, “We are spending Rs 2,000 crore per month and it comes to Rs 24,000 crore per year. In the last five years, we have spent over Rs 90,000 crore on pensions and this is higher than the pension in any other state. If we look at other states on their pension expenditure, Bihar is spending Rs 4,300 crore, UP Rs 5,160 crore, Karnataka Rs 4,700 crore and Telangana Rs 7,180 crore.”
He said his government had started village/ward volunteer system to deliver welfare schemes at the doorstep of the people and turned critical on TD chief Naidu for failing to think about the people and their problems to avail welfare schemes despite making claims of serving as CM for 14 years.
With regard to the manifesto, Jagan Mohan Reddy said that before the elections, people would come up with a manifesto promising good governance. But in the post-election, the manifesto would be thrown into the dustbin. “I will not be like Naidu who forgot about his promises made in 2014. I will implement what I promise.”
Jagan Mohan Reddy received an unprecedented welcome in Vinukonda as a large number of people arrived there and started moving along with the CM’s bus. The CM concluded his 11th day of Memantha Siddham tour as his bus reached Gantavaripalem for overnight stay.
