The State government has enhanced budget from Rs. 1,030 crore to Rs. 4,000 crore for payment pensions, and all the eligible will get pensions, said Finance Minister Etela Rajender.
Speaking to newsmen here on Sunday, he said number of beneficiaries would be more than the existing number and one need not worry if they miss the bus as this is a continuous process and all the eligible persons will be covered after due verification, and with the help of local MLA, he said.
Similarly, all pink card holders will get 4-kg. rice and the limitations such as - income of the family - has been relaxed to cover
more number of poor, both in rural and urban areas. The first phase of distribution of pensions would be held from December 10 to 15 across the State, he said.
Referring to the criticism from TDP leaders, Mr. Rajender said that it was the TDP that tried to stall the process of separate Telangana. Mr. Naidu himself confessed that he tried his best to block formation of the State. “The Telangana TDP leaders are trying to bring the rule of Andhra leaders again but they will not succeed. I appeal to people of Telangana to beware of conspiracies of Andhra leaders who are still trying to prove that the division of the State is a bad experiment. We will prove them wrong and people are willing to support us,” Mr. Rajender said.
The TDP leaders are dreaming of coming to power in 2019 and that is what Mr. Naidu said. But he should see if his party would still be here in Telangana till then. People have rejected them and are not willing to accept it anymore seeing its true colours, the Finance Minister said.
