Bhubaneswar: Here’s a piece of good news for the beneficiaries of Madhu Babu Pension Yojana (MBPY). Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced an increase of Rs 500 in the monthly pension amount under this scheme. Beneficiaries of MBPY will now get a minimum pension of Rs 1,000. Beneficiaries will get this enhanced pension with effect from the current month of February.
Earlier, beneficiaries under this scheme were getting Rs 500, Rs 700 and Rs 900 respectively. As per the enhanced pension announced today, beneficiaries will now get Rs 1,000, Rs 1,200 and Rs 1,400 respectively. The state government will incur an expenditure of Rs 3,683 crore annually on account of this enhanced pension.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today also announced an increase of Rs 500 in the monthly pension for the beneficiaries of the National Social Security Scheme.
Beneficiaries of MBPY will receive their pension for February directly between February 20 and 25.
During 5T and Nabin Odisha Chairman Kartik Pandian’s tour of the districts, people of different areas requested to increase the pension amount. Upholding the people’s request the Chief Minister has increased the pension amount of the Social Security Pension Scheme.
Recently, the Chief Minister increased the number of beneficiaries under MBPY. Last year in August beneficiaries were increased by 4.13 lakh and now after the inclusion of another 4 lakh, a total of 36.75 lakh beneficiaries are benefiting under the scheme.
It is worth noting that the state government has made arrangements to provide social security pensions for various categories of people. This includes senior citizens, widows, persons with disabilities, unmarried women, recovered leprosy patients, AIDS patients identified by the Odisha State AIDS Cell, divorced women, transgenders, orphaned, widowed due to Covid and persons of other weaker sections. Along with this, the state government is also providing additional assistance to the beneficiaries of the National Social Assistance Programme.
Under this programme beneficiaries ranging from small children to 79 years of age get Rs 500 per month under this scheme. People aged 80 years and above get Rs 700 per month.
In the case of persons with disabilities, those with 40 to 59 per cent disability get Rs 500 per month, while those with 60 per cent or more disability get Rs 700. People above 80 years of age with more than 60 per cent disability get Rs 900 per month. Now all will get the increased allowance.
