The State government, facing an acute financial crisis, has taken the decision to disburse the welfare pension due for one month. As of October, the pension had accumulated arrears for four months. Typically, in such situations, arrears are paid in a lump sum. However, the Finance department has indicated that, due to the government’s severe financial constraints, they are currently only disbursing one month’s pension (for July). Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal issued a press note regarding this, but it didn’t specify the exact start date for pension disbursement. It is expected that the payments will commence next week, benefiting pensioners who receive Rs 1,600 per month.
Despite the government’s challenging financial situation, the decision to provide at least one month’s pension is influenced by the upcoming mass contact programs led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Ministers at the constituency level, known as “Nava Kerala Sadassu,” scheduled to start from November 18. The Finance Minister assured that individuals who have already completed mustering will receive their pensions, and those who have yet to do so will receive their payments upon completion.
Over the past seven and a half years, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government has disbursed a total of Rs 57,604 crore in welfare pension. The pension program benefits 64 lakh beneficiaries, with the exception of seven lakh individuals who have not completed mustering, and will thus not be eligible to receive the pension.
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