Chhatrapur (Ganjam): As many as 59,031 new beneficiaries from Ganjam district have been included under the Madhu Babu Pension Yojana (MBPY), accounting for nearly 11 per cent of the total 5.05 lakh newly covered beneficiaries across Odisha, officials said on Wednesday.
With the latest inclusion, the total number of pension beneficiaries in Ganjam has increased to around 3.72 lakh, while the overall beneficiary count across the state has reached 41.80 lakh, Commerce and Transport, Steel and Mines Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena said at a district-level programme in Chhatrapur.
The programme was organised to mark the launch of the Unified Pension Management Portal (UPMP) and the achievement of saturation under the Madhu Babu Pension Yojana.
Addressing the gathering at Rushikulya Conference Hall, Jena described the occasion as historic for Ganjam and said the newly included beneficiaries would no longer have to wait for months or years to receive social security pensions.
Earlier, the fixed-quota system prevented many eligible persons from receiving pension benefits, forcing them to remain on waiting lists. The system has now been discontinued, and eligible persons can apply directly through the new portal without waiting for vacancies, he said.
The portal would simplify the application, verification and approval processes and ensure timely disbursement of pensions. Eligible persons can apply through their mobile phones or computers or visit nearby Jana Seva Kendras and Block Development Officer (BDO) offices to submit their applications.
A total of 5,05,817 additional eligible persons have been included under the scheme across the state, taking the total number of beneficiaries to 41,80,825. The state government will incur an additional annual expenditure of around Rs 625 crore to provide pension benefits to the newly included beneficiaries, Jena said.
He described the initiative as an important step towards realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Digital India and said the government believed in implementing welfare announcements rather than merely making promises.
Clarifying reports regarding the non-disbursement of pensions under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), the minister said nearly 19 lakh beneficiaries across Odisha had received their pensions by September.
The government has introduced a cash-and-coupon system for pension disbursement from November. Under the arrangement, beneficiaries will receive Rs 800 in cash along with a coupon worth Rs 200, while those entitled to the higher pension category will receive Rs 3,000 in cash and a coupon worth Rs 500. The state government contributes Rs 800 and Rs 3,000, respectively, while the Centre provides Rs 200 and Rs 500, respectively, he said.
Jena also appreciated the cooperation of the people of Ganjam and the efforts of the district administration in managing the recent floods and carrying out restoration work.
He said the government was committed to extending assistance to flood-affected people in Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamala districts. Farmers who suffered extensive crop losses due to the floods would also receive necessary attention, he added.
District Planning Board Chairman and Khallikote MLA Purna Chandra Sethy said more than five lakh new beneficiaries had been included under the scheme across all 30 districts of the state, with nearly 60,000 people in Ganjam set to receive pensions.
He said the government had extended assistance to Ganjam before the floods and provided 50 kg of rice and Rs 2,500 to affected families after the disaster. Restoration work was also undertaken on priority, enabling the district to recover within eight to 10 days, he added.
Asika MP Anita Subhadarshini said ensuring dignity and security for people in their old age was an important responsibility of a welfare government. The Centre and the state government were taking steps to fulfil people’s needs and improve their quality of life, she said.
Brahmapur MLA K. Anil Kumar said the earlier system allowed only 100 to 200 beneficiaries to receive pensions at a time, whereas the new mechanism would enable thousands of eligible persons to be covered simultaneously.
Chhatrapur MLA Krushna Chandra Nayak said the new system would eliminate prolonged delays in pension enrolment and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to public welfare through schemes such as Subhadra, Shree Anna and Ayushman.
Ganjam Collector Keerthi Vasan V said the new portal would make the social security pension system simpler, faster and more transparent. He expressed hope that it would reduce pension-related grievances, which were frequently raised during the district’s Monday public grievance hearings.
Under the new system, eligible persons aged 60 years and above can apply directly without waiting for a vacancy. Pension payments will begin from the month following the approval of their applications.
Beneficiaries attaining 80 years of age and persons with 80 per cent or more disability will automatically become eligible for the enhanced pension of Rs 3,500 through the portal without having to submit fresh applications.
The automated process is expected to prevent irregularities and misuse while ensuring that eligible beneficiaries receive their entitled pension amounts, officials said.
During the programme, the dignitaries distributed pension benefits to around 1,000 newly included beneficiaries from different parts of the district, including Chhatrapur, Rangeilunda block and Berhampur Municipal Corporation.
They also flagged off an awareness vehicle to disseminate information about the Madhu Babu Pension Yojana among the public.
Additional Executive Officer of Ganjam Zilla Parishad Bijay Kumar Behera, District Social Security Officer Krushna Chandra Behera, departmental officials and hundreds of beneficiaries attended the programme.
