VIJAYAWADA: Minister for MSME and SERP Kondapalli Srinivas on Thursday accused former chief minister and YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy of spreading false information on distribution of social security pensions.
In a statement, the Minister said Jagan should speak on pension-related issues only after understanding the facts. Referring to the remarks of the former chief minister, Srinivas said the allegation that the Chandrababu Naidu-led coalition government had removed six lakh pensions was ‘completely false and misleading.’
The minister stated that during the YSRCP government’s five-year tenure, nearly 11 lakh pensions of poor beneficiaries were removed, whereas the present coalition government had increased pension support and ensured greater social security for beneficiaries after assuming office.
Srinivas said no eligible pensioner’s benefits had been cancelled under the coalition government and that only pensions belonging to deceased beneficiaries had been discontinued.
The minister said that the coalition government has so far sanctioned 2.50 lakh new pensions across the State. He accused Jagan of deliberately spreading misinformation by claiming that no new pensions were issued and that six lakh pensions had been removed.
Srinivas said the YSRCP government spent Rs 91,000 crore on pensions during its five-year rule, while the coalition government had already spent a record Rs 63,157 crore on pensions within just 22 months.
He further stated that the coalition government had introduced a facility enabling pensioners to receive three months’ pensions at one time, a benefit that was not available earlier.