The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Dharna staged for distribution of pensions

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Friday, Sep 07, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Dharna staged for distribution of pensions

Staff Reporter

VIJAYAWADA: Demanding immediate distribution of pensions to the aged, the disabled and widows, a dharna, under the aegis of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), was staged in front of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) on Thursday.

Addressing the participants, CPI (M) Floor leader in the VMC general body Ch. Babu Rao criticised the State government for not keeping its election promise of sending pensions to the beneficiaries regularly by post. Referring to the procedure of selecting beneficiaries for pensions, he said that of the 26,000 applications, the officials of the VMC declared as many as 12,000 as “ineligible” by showing different reasons and announced distribution of pensions to the remaining 14,000 from April onwards. “Even after four months, none of the beneficiaries received the pension so far,” he pointed out.

Mr. Babu Rao said beneficiaries of neighbouring States were getting a pension of Rs. 400 a month, while those from Andhra Pradesh were getting only Rs. 200 a month. He said it was unfair on the part of the government to delay the distribution of pension, as many aged persons and disabled were depending on this meagre amount for their medical needs.

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