KARIMNAGAR: It’s raining goodies in Huzurabad Assembly constituency, where a bypoll is in the offing. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had recently announced the lowering of age limit for Aasara pension eligibility from 65 years to 57 during his visit to Sircilla.
It is learnt that the updated scheme is first being implemented in Huzurabad.
The Chief Minister’s decision will come to the aid of 11,000 prospective beneficiaries aged 57 and above in the constituency.
The existing 31,404 beneficiaries reside in Veenavanka, Jammikunta, Illandakunta (all part of Karimangar) and Kamalapur (Warangal Urban) mandals, which constitute the Huzurabad Assembly segment.
Though the rest of the State is waiting for the Chief Minister’s munificence, the beneficiaries in Huzurabad appear ready to get on to the gravy train, with officials informing them that they would accrue the benefits from August.
According to District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), the beneficiaries comprise beedi workers, toddy tappers and widows.
It appears that the byelection has also benefited the farmers in this constituency more than their brethren elsewhere in the State, as they received the Rythu Bandhu incentive for Khariff much early.
This makes it clear that Huzurabad enjoys the ‘most preferred constituency’ status now. Mallaiah, one of the new beneficiaries of the Aasara scheme in Jammikunta, was all smiles when he was asked how he felt about the sudden windfall. “I am very happy. The money would be of great help to me. I am thankful to the CM,” he said.