VIJAYAWADA: Following the directions of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to make alternative arrangements for the distribution of the benefits of ongoing schemes to the already selected beneficiaries using DBT (electronic transfer) preferably or through other regular employees, the State government has come up with two methods to be implemented in May and June.
In a press statement released on Sunday, Principal Secretary for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Shashi Bhushan Kumar said they would be implementing both DBT and door-to-door disbursement of social security pensions.
Under DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer), the payment of pensions will be made using Aadhaar-enabled Payment System (AePS) to the pensioners, whose Aadhaar is mapped to their bank accounts, as confirmed by NPCI.
As many as 48,92,503 of the total 65,49,864 pensioners (74.70%) will be paid in this mode, he said.
The amount will be transferred in the DBT mode on May 1 and the pensioners whose mobile number is mentioned in their bank account, shall receive the intimation of credit of the pension into their account as an SMS from the bank concerned.
According to the Principal Secretary, the door-to-door distribution of pensions will be taken up for the pensioners belonging to the differently-abled category, those drawing pensions under the category of serious ailments, those who are infirm, bedridden, and confined to wheelchairs, elderly widows of war veterans drawing Sainik Welfare pensions, and pensioners whose bank accounts are not mapped to Aadhaar.
In all, 16,57,361 out of the total 65,49,864 pensioners (25.30%) will be paid in this mode. The pension distribution which begins on May 1, will continue up to May 5. Necessary instructions have been issued to the District Collectors and banks to make adequate arrangements so that pensioners receive their pensions without any hardship or inconvenience, and in time.
The ECI wanted the State government to ensure the implementation of its directions in letter and spirit so that the beneficiaries could avail intended benefits without any hardship and on time.
