Haryana Social Justice, Empowerment, SCs and BCs Welfare and Antyodaya Minister (SEWA), Sh. Krishan Kumar Bedi, said that Haryana is the first state in the country to provide the highest number of social benefits and pensions. In the state, 18 categories are receiving the benefit of social allowances and pensions. At present, 36 lakh eligible beneficiaries are being given a monthly pension of Rs. 3200.
The increased amount has been effective since November 1 last year and was transferred to all eligible beneficiaries through DBT on February 10. He said that 21 lakh elderly people are receiving old age pension and 7,00,000 lakh women are receiving widow pension.
Apart from this, persons with disabilities (PwD), destitute individuals, displaced people from Kashmir, and those suffering from 21 life-threatening diseases including cancer are also receiving the benefits of social security schemes.
Sh. Bedi said this while listening to public grievances on Saturday at Narwana. He said that all social allowances and pensions will now be deposited directly into the beneficiaries’ bank accounts on the 10th of every month. Under the leadership of the Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini, the state government has taken this commendable decision so that pensioners receive benefits on a fixed date.
Providing pensions, allowances, and other social security benefits through DBT will ensure transparency. He further said that previous governments had set an income limit of Rs. 10,000 for old age pension, which remained in place from 1991 to 2008.
Later, the limit was increased to Rs. 50,000 per year, and during the BJP government in the 2022–23 session, it was raised to Rs. 3 lakh annually. Haryana has received recognition across the country for this step.
The Minister said that the government is also continuously taking strong steps for the welfare of farmers. These include purchasing crops at MSP, providing the highest compensation in the country during natural disasters, ensuring 24-hour electricity supply, implementing the ‘Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana’, and providing benefits to milk producers.
He added that the present Central and State Governments are working with the vision of equal welfare for all sections of society and all-round development in every sector.