Delhi Government Restores Elderly Pension Scheme
Minister Atishi Marlena Announces Reinstatement, Accuses BJP of Delaying Benefits
There is news of work for the elderly living in the country's capital Delhi. The Delhi government has once again restored the elderly pension scheme for senior citizens. Atishi Marlena, a minister in the Delhi government, said that the elderly have now started getting pensions. She also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Center of not contributing to the pension for the last five months. Atishi said that out of one lakh beneficiaries of the city, 90 thousand received their previous dues on Thursday itself. The rest will be paid.
The minister claimed, 'Out of the pension given under this scheme, the Delhi government pays Rs 2,200 and the central government pays Rs 300. The pension was pending for the last five months because the BJP government at the Center was not contributing. ' He said that the conditions of the scheme are such that despite the Center's low contribution to the pension, the pension of one lakh beneficiaries remained stuck due to pending payment from the Center.
Atishi tweeted, 'News that will delight the elderly of Delhi! For the last five months, the BJP government at the center has stopped the old age pension of one lakh elderly people in Delhi. The elderly were very upset. I am happy to tell you that after a lot of struggle, the (Arvind) Kejriwal-led government has started the pension of the elderly. The pension of the last five months is being deposited in the bank accounts of the elderly. This pension is for those elderly people above 60 years of age, whose annual family income is less than one lakh rupees.
Under this scheme, 2 thousand rupees per month are given to the beneficiaries of the age of 60 to 69 years. Beneficiaries of Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Minority Communities are given an additional Rs 500 per month. Under the scheme, elderly people above 70 years of age get two and a half thousand rupees per month.