Beneficiaries of the NTR Bharosa scheme will get pension of ₹7,000 for the month of July, Endowments Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy said. The enhanced amount comprises a monthly hike of ₹1,000 over the earlier pension of ₹3,000, and arrears of ₹3,000 as the hike was implemented retrospectively with effect from May.
In a press conference here on Thursday, he said: “For more than 65 lakh beneficiaries in the State, the previous government had provided ₹2,700 crore, while the new government sanctioned ₹4,400 crore for pensions. Volunteers are not being used for the distribution of the pensions. Instead, employees of the village and ward secretariats will give pensions to the beneficiaries.”
“Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has fulfilled the main promise of increasing pensions to the people within the first month of assuming power. Nearly ₹218.87 crore has been allocated to 3,19,961 beneficiaries in Nellore district. Based on the promise made in the election campaign, pensions for senior citizens, widows, single women, fishermen and artisans have been increased,” Mr. Ramanarayana Reddy said.
The monthly pension given to disabled persons and tuberculosis patients has been doubled from ₹3,000 to ₹6,000. Similarly, the monthly pension given to the persons suffering from total disability has been tripled to ₹15,000 from ₹5,000 earlier. Those suffering from chronic diseases would also get an enhanced monthly pension of ₹10,000 instead of ₹5,000 before.
The Endowments Minister said that the initiative to revamp the temples across the State would commence from the famous Tirumala temple. He said that plans are being prepared for the development and reconstruction of temples with the cooperation and ideas of the temple priests. Of the 27,000 temples in the State, eight famous temples would be given special attention, he said.
Srisailam, Srikalahasti, Kanipakam, Vijayawada, Simhachalam, Annavaram, Arasavilli and Ontimitta are the eight famous temples that the Minister has proposed to develop. He also assured to increase the temple expenditure for ‘Dhupa, Deepa, Naivedyam’ to ₹10,000 per month in place of ₹5,000 per month previously.
