‘State spending 3 times amount spent by TDP as pensions’

Brushing aside allegations that the State government is cutting social security pensions, Adviser (Public Affairs) Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy has said that the State has been spending three times the amount spent by the previous government, while a section of media has been giving distorted versions to mislead the people.

Speaking to the media here on Wednesday, Mr. Reddy said while ₹500 crore was spent during the previous government towards pensions to 39 lakh people, the Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy government was spending ₹1,500 crores on 60 lakh pensioners.

“The date and disbursement of pensions was uncertain during the TDP term, but in our government, the amount is given on the first of every month at the doorstep, and to bring in transparency, we are weeding out ineligible people. There is nothing wrong in paying pensions month-wise and the volunteer comes calling on five days if the person is not at home on the first day of the month,” he said.

The TDP had nothing to claim of what it had done during its term and people had sent back Chandrababu Naidu home while the Chief Minister was working hard and the results would be tangible and benefit the future generations.

“We are paying interest to a tune of ₹30,000 crore to ₹40,000 crore towards the loans raised by N. Chandrababu Naidu,” Mr. Reddy said adding that a person who was Chief Minister had nothing to claim as achievement during his term.

The government was only weeding out the ineligible candidates from the pension list and putting a check to malpractices, the government has removed the 2 to 3 month lumpsum scheme for those residing in other States. He made it clear that all those staying in other States had to come within the first week of each month to avail themselves of the pension.

The State government had been providing pensions on saturation basis with over 98% of disbursement rate. He advised the opposition TDP leaders to come forward and provide suggestions for better implementation of the scheme rather than levelling false accusations

He gave out the data on the power sector dues which were coming down due to the measures taken by the Chief Minister.