For the first time, the State government will use geotagging in the distribution of social security pensions. The government has made a special app available for the same. The photographs of beneficiaries would be taken, geotagged and uploaded on to the server. The distribution of pensions will begin on Friday.
Panchayat Raj Minister Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy on Thursday said the government geared itself up to disburse 58.22 lakh pensions on May 1.
The Minister said that 2,37,615 volunteers would visit the houses of the beneficiaries to hand over the pensions under the YSR Pension Kanuka.
Special mobile app
“As part of the COVID-19 control measures, a special mobile app is being used to avoid collecting the biometric details. The photos of beneficiaries will be geotagged and uploaded on to the server. The app has already been downloaded by the volunteers,” he said.
The government has already released ₹1,421.20 crore towards the pensions. The amount was credited into the accounts of the Village Secretariats through the AP SERP. The distribution of pensions would begin in the morning. If any of the beneficiaries was not available, or was stuck at other places due to the lockdown, the pension would be given to them through portability. The social security pensions to the otherwise abled, widow and people suffering from identified diseases would also be given on May 1, he said.