TDP national general secretary N. Lokesh on Monday criticised Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, alleging that the government had been reducing the social security pensions to the poor.
He said Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy had promised during his padayatra in the run-up to the 2019 elections to increase the pensions if the YSRCP voted to power.
“The Chief Minister has reneged on his promise of ₹3,000 pension to elderly people. He had promised that 65 lakh people in the State would get pension, but the government has started cutting down the number, citing lame excuses. It is an injustice to the deprived sections,” said Mr. Lokesh.
He alleged that the government had cut 2.30 lakh pensions and the elderly people had lost their only source of monthly income for living and medical expenses. “The Chief Minister owes an explanation as to why the pension amount has not been increased to ₹2,750 even after he has completed two years in office. Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy has promised to increase pension by ₹250 every year till the total reached ₹3,000 during his five-year term,” he said and demanded that all the cancelled pensions be restored immediately.
Citing an example, Mr. Lokesh said a 70-year-old person from Pulukunta in Galiveedu mandal of Kadapa district fell ill after he came to know that his pension had been stopped and died within a few days. “The sarpanch said that Gurraiah was solely depended on his pension for his living after his son had left him a few years ago,” said Mr. Lokesh.
