Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday launched the pension distribution scheme 'NTR Bharosa' and he disbursed the amount personally to beneficiaries in Penumaka village and interacted with them.
Naidu also addressed a public meeting later in the area and said that this was the 'first step' of his NDA-backed state government towards improving the people's living standards.
CM Chandrababu Naidu Interacts With Pension Beneficiaries, Addresses Public Meeting In Penumaka
Naidu personally met Islavath Sai, Banavath Pamulyanayak and Banavath Sita in their hut and chatted with the family members for some time and then personally handed over the pension money to three beneficiaries.
Over a cup of tea, he emphasised the importance of education to family members and also enterprising nature to supplement their income.
"I am sanctioning a house for you. We will build a house for you," said Naidu to the family members, and directed district officials to team up with the Campus Region Development Authority (CRDA) officials to build houses for eligible persons in Penumaka area.
The chief minister made few observations at the public meeting in Penumaka village in Guntur district where he said, "This is the first step towards improving the living standards of the people."
Naidu reminded that he took oath as the CM for the fourth time with the blessings of all the people and he promised to focus on the poor adding that his dream is to see a poverty-free society without economic imbalances.
Further, the CM noted that there is an immediate need to check spiralling prices of all essential commodities and assured to fulfil the promises of filling up vacant teacher posts and setting up Anna Canteens, among others.
The state government started the procedure to disburse Rs 7,000 as pension to eligible beneficiaries, which includes the enhanced amount of Rs 1,000 each for April, May and June, along with July's pension of Rs 4,000.
The Rs 1,000 hike in monthly pensions has raised the financial burden on the state government by Rs 819 crore while a similar amount for the preceding three months has put on an additional burden of Rs 1,650 crore.
The southern state will disburse Rs 4,408 crore on welfare pensions alone on Monday.
Over 65 lakh beneficiaries under 28 categories will benefit. The new government has also increased pensions to eligible specially-abled persons from Rs 3,000 per month to Rs 6,000 per month.
(With PTI inputs)
