CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday launched an enhanced monthly social security pension of Rs 1,500, which is a threefold increase from the Rs 500 that was given by the earlier SAD-BJP alliance government.
He also paid tributes to former chief minister late Beant Singh on his 26th death anniversary and observed two minutes of silence.
Addressing a gathering, the chief minister said that Sardar Beant Singh laid down his life for peace, which ultimately led to a congenial atmosphere to ensure economic development of the state.
Amarinder Singh also disbursed cheques of the enhanced pension to 10 beneficiaries to mark the symbolic launch of the scheme across the state, an official statement said.
Three beneficiaries -- Paramjit Kaur an elderly woman from Jalandhar, Mamta Rani a widow from Patiala and Inderjit Singh a differently-abled person from Gurdaspur -- expressed gratitude to the chief minister for doubling the monthly pension from Rs 750 to Rs 1,500, it said.
Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Aruna Chaudhary lauded the chief minister for doubling the pension 27 lakh beneficiaries.
With the increase, the annual budget for disbursal of these security pensions has gone up to Rs 4,800 crore, she said.