THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government will fulfil the LDF's election manifesto promise of raising social security pension to Rs 2,500, from the present Rs 1,600, if the Union government reinstates the slashed central allocation of Rs 57,400 crore to the state, Finance Minister KN Balagopal told the Assembly on Monday.
The Minister was replying to a notice for adjournment motion by the Opposition, to discuss the 'plight' of 48 lakh beneficiaries of social security pension in the state who were not receiving the assistance for the past five months.
Balagopal said the second Pinarayi Vijayan government has disbursed Rs 23,958 crore as social security pension over the last two and a half years.
"Going by the present pension rate of Rs 1,600, we will be able to disburse Rs 48,000 crore by five years. But it is our vision to increase the amount further and we will do so," he said.
Balagopal said the social security pension disbursal was affected when the Centre treated the liability of the company floated for the purpose as state government debt and imposed restrictions on borrowing. He urged the Opposition to join hands with the government for the upcoming protest in New Delhi against the Centre's fiscal policies.
The Finance Minister turned down the Opposition's charge that denial of social security pension was the reason why a 77-year-old differently-abled man in Kozhikode committed suicide last week.
Balalgopal said the man drew his own pension and that of his daugher last on December 27. Besides, he had earnings from the rural employment guarantee scheme and was also entitled to free foodgrains, the Minister said.
Earlier, giving notice for adjournment motion, PC Vishnunadh of the Congress reminded the government that providing social security pension was not its benevolence but a constitutional obligation. He also disputed Balagopal's claims that social security pension was pending for 18 months during the previous Oommen Chandy government's tenure and challenged the Minister to table the related accounts in the assembly.
Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan said the government that claims credit for raising the welfare pension to Rs 1,600 should also take into account that the price of essentials has increased by 200 to 300 per cent. He also flayed the government for indulging in 'extravagance' through the Nava Kerala Sadass programme.
"Your priority should be payment of pension dues to lakhs of poor people and not extravagance," Satheesan said.
Opposition MLAs trooped to the well of the House holding placards against the non-payment of welfare pension when their request for adjournment motion was turned down. Later, they boycotted Assembly proceedings in protest.