EC directs govt to pay pensions through DBT, door delivery

Tadepalli(Guntur district): The Election Commission of India has directed the State government to make alternative arrangements for distribution of the benefits of ongoing schemes to already selected beneficiaries using direct benefit transfer (DBT-electronic transfer) preferably or through other regular employees.

Further, the Commission has informed to follow the direction issued by the Commission in letter and spirit so that the beneficiaries may avail intended benefits without any hardship, inconvenience and in time during the Model Code of Conduct in the State.

Keeping in view of the Commission instructions, the following mode of distribution of social security of pensions will be adopted for May and June, said principal secretary of Panchayat Raj Sasi Bhushan Kumar.

The principal secretary said that the payment of pensions through the Direct Beneficiary Transfer (DBT) using Aadhaar enabled Payment System (AePS) will be made to the pensioners, whose Aadhaar is mapped to bank account, as confirmed by the NPCI.

A total of 48,92,503 out of the 65,49,864 pensioners that means 74.70 per cent will be paid in this mode. The amount will be transferred in the DBT mode on May 1 and pensioners whose mobile number is mentioned in their bank account shall receive the intimation of credit of the pension into their account as SMS from the bank concerned.

The principal secretary, referring to the door-to-door distribution of the pensions, said that the distribution of pensions will be taken up for the pensioners belonging to differently-abled category, those drawing pensions under category of serious ailments, those who are infirm, bed-ridden and confined to wheelchairs, the elderly widows of war veterans drawing Sainik welfare pensions, pensioners whose bank account is not mapped to Aadhaar.

A total of 16,57,361 out of the 65,49,864 pensioners which means 25.30 per cent will be paid in this mode.

The pension distribution will start on May 1 and 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, inconvenience and in time, the principal secretary said.