The biometric card enabled pension disbursal system commenced in the district on Saturday.
The beneficiaries identified under the ‘social security pension scheme' of the state government from now on could utilise the smart cards being distributed to them in phases, to withdraw the pension amounts credited to their bank accounts.
The issuance of biometric smart cards to all people covered under the Old Age Pension (OAP) scheme, would rule out the possibilities of any impersonation of beneficiaries as well as other irregularities.
Besides this, the pensioners would also be getting the pension money at their doorstep through the business correspondents of respective banks. The business correspondent model was introduced by banks to extend financial services to clients beyond the ‘conventional reach' of the branches.
On Saturday, Minister for Public Works K.V.Ramalingam inaugurated the new procedure in disbursal of social security pensions at Kangayam in the presence of District Panchayat chairman N. Shanmugam, Collector M. Mathivanan and District Revenue Officer R. Gajalakshmi.
Mr. Ramalingam also gave away a relief amount of Rs. 40,000 to Ponnusamy, a farmer from Kavilipalayam village, whose 20 goats were killed in lightning a few days ago.
