Chandigarh: Punjab Government has decided to credit the old age pensions and financial assistance under other social security schemes directly into the accounts of the beneficiaries. This decision has specifically been taken to facilitate the beneficiaries living in the rural areas of the state.

Chandigarh: Punjab Government has decided to credit the old age pensions and financial assistance under other social security schemes directly into the accounts of the beneficiaries. This decision has specifically been taken to facilitate the beneficiaries living in the rural areas of the state.

Disclosing this in a press communiqué, Razia Sultana, Social Security Minister said that as per the earlier practice old age pension to the beneficiaries living in the rural areas was provided through the respective Panchayats. She said that in that earlier regime, beneficiaries has to face big hurdles in getting the pensions, so the Punjab Government has amended the norms of such social security schemes and now the old age pensions and financial assistance under other social security schemes be directly deposited into the accounts of the beneficiaries.

The Minister said that the Punjab Government has also raised the annual income limit for eligibility for pension and other social security schemes to Rs. 60000 and the beneficiaries can now avail the benefit of these social security schemes by furnishing a self certificate in this regard.  Divulging further details, Razia Sultana said that to avail the benefit of pension an applicant should not be in government or private employment, and should not have annual income more than Rs. 60000 from any source, including interest/rental income. Further, the applicant would also need to provide a self-certificate that he/she does not have more than 2.5 acre Nehri/Chahi land, or 5 acre Barani land ownership and 5 acre land in waterlogged area (including husband and wife).

Social Security Minister said that as per earlier practice, before this amendment, approval rights for the provisional pension were vested with Sub Divisional Magistrate and the beneficiaries from rural areas has to face obstacles get the benefit of pensions. She said that this procedure has been simplified and now Child Development (CDPO) and the Executive Officer, Municipal Council/Secretary, Municipal Corporation have been authorized for accepting the application forms in rural and urban areas.