The State government has liberalised the norms for beneficiaries of various social security pensions. Amendments have now been made to the norms that were introduced last year regarding floor area of the beneficiary’s house and on those drawing Employees Provident Funds (EPF).
As per a government order issued in July last year, to ensure that only those deserving of social security pensions draw it, those living in houses with floor area above 1,200 sq ft and those owning cars above 1,000cc engine capacity were made ineligible for the pension. Now, the floor area component itself has been removed from the norms regarding pension eligibility.
Another existing norm was that for those drawing EPF, only a maximum social security pension of ₹600 can be provided. Now, a slab system has been introduced. Those drawing EPF pensions up to ₹2,000 are eligible to draw the social security pension as per the other norms.
For those drawing EPF above ₹2,000, the maximum social security pension has been fixed at ₹600. Local body secretaries have been asked to check the EPF pension passbook or related document to verify the claim that a beneficiary is drawing less than ₹2,000.
Physically challenged
The government had last year also made changes to the norms regarding the pension for the physically challenged under the social security pensions. As per this, those drawing the pension for the physically challenged can draw one more pension, if they are eligible for the same, at a maximum rate of ₹600 per month.
Following this, many physically challenged beneficiaries who had been drawing other pensions wrote to the government, to change the norm so that they will also be included in the pensions for physically challenged beneficiary list. Considering these requests, the government has cleared this too.
These norms are applicable for welfare fund board pensions too. As per the latest figures, more than 45.19 lakh people draw social security pensions in the State, while another 6.5 lakh people draw the welfare fund board pensions. The welfare pensions were increased by ₹100 in the budget this year.
