The Andhra Pradesh government has given a shock to social security pension holders in the state. It is a known fact that people have the privilege to take their pensions at once in three months. However, this option is no longer available.
The government has removed the two-to-three-month lump sum scheme and made it clear to take within the first three days of each month. If a person fails to take it in time, then they would lose the amount for that particular month, and it won’t be added into next month’s pension amount.
The government has instructed the volunteers to inform the beneficiaries of the YSR Pension Kanuka scheme about this matter. Last year, 1.87 lakh people stranded in different parts of Lockdown were given a lump sum pension of 6 months to a month.
The government is sanctioning pension money to about 60 lakh beneficiaries every month in the state. However, more than two lakh of them are not taking monthly pensions. As per reports, 2.04 lakh in April, 2.57 lakh in May, 2.70 lakh in June, 2.14 lakh in July and 2.40 lakh in August have not taken their pension amount, officials said.
The state government claims that people staying permanently in neighbouring states are paying a visit to AP once in three to four months to take illegal pensions. However, officials made it clear that eligible pensioners residing in the state would no longer be affected by the government’s latest decision.