Opposition questions govt move to end doorstep social welfare pension delivery
Follow TNM's WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.The Kerala government’s decision to stop distributing social security and welfare pensions through cooperative societies at beneficiaries’ homes has drawn strong criticism from the CPI(M). Most beneficiaries will now be shifted to Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). Former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and former finance minister BN Balagopal said that the move could weaken the welfare pension system and exclude vulnerable beneficiaries.The government has ordered that pensions for all beneficiaries, except those who are completely bedridden, be transferred to their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts through DBT. Completely bedridden beneficiaries will continue to receive their pensions at home.The government order cites the higher cost of distributing pensions through cooperative societies, delays in returning undistributed pension amounts, and lapses in recording distribution details on the service portal among the reasons for the decision.The order argues that there are difficulties such as pensions being paid to ineligible beneficiaries or more than once to the same person due to the incomplete implementation of Aadhaar-based pension distribution.The government has further said that continuing doorstep distribution could result in Kerala losing financial assistance from the Union government because of non-compliance with its directions on DBT-based pension payments.Around 62 lakh people in Kerala receive social security pensions, including elderly persons, widows, persons with disabilities, agricultural labourers among others. According to Balagopal, around half of the beneficiaries have opted to receive their pensions through bank transfers, while the remaining beneficiaries depend on doorstep delivery.Balagopal said, “Nearly 25 lakh people in Kerala are currently receiving their pensions directly through cooperative banks. Asking all of them to open bank accounts and receive the pension only through digital transactions is a challenge to elderly and vulnerable people.”He also rejected the government’s justification that the Union government’s requirements on DBT necessitated the change. Balagopal said only around eight lakh pension beneficiaries in Kerala receive financial assistance from the Union government, with their contribution ranging from Rs 300 to Rs 500.“We have already brought those eight lakh people under the required system. There is no issue with that. Cooperative bank accounts are also Aadhaar-linked,” Balagopal said, alleging that the decision was an attempt to weaken the social welfare pension scheme.Pinarayi said, “Those who receive doorstep pensions without DBT are outside the banking service network. The vast majority of them belong to economically weaker sections and face health-related difficulties. The new order is therefore a major blow to people who need the care and support of society. It is this system that the UDF government is attempting to weaken,” Pinarayi said.He also questioned the extent of the Union government’s financial contribution to Kerala’s social security pensions. According to Pinarayi, the Union government’s share accounts for only around 1% of the total amount distributed as social security pensions in Kerala each month and covers around 13.5% of the beneficiaries.“The state government bears the entire amount for the remaining 86%. Therefore, the LDF government had proceeded by rejecting the Union government’s directives on the mode of pension distribution. However, the UDF government is using the Union government’s directive as an opportunity to weaken the pension scheme itself,” Pinarayi said.The government order says the decision followed a recommendation from Kerala Social Security Pension Limited to make DBT mandatory for all beneficiaries except completely bedridden persons and those for whom doorstep delivery cannot be avoided.The order also refers to existing directions requiring cooperative societies to return undistributed pension amounts within a stipulated period and complete the related data entry. The government says that although the service portal is opened for 10 days after monthly pension distribution to allow societies to record repayment details, several societies fail to complete the process within the prescribed period.The state government had earlier permitted primary agricultural credit societies and other cooperative societies to distribute social security pensions at beneficiaries’ homes.
Follow TNM's WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.
THE Kerala government’s decision to stop distributing social security and welfare pensions through cooperative societies at beneficiaries’ homes has drawn strong criticism from the CPI(M).
Most beneficiaries will now be shifted to Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
Former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and former finance minister BN Balagopal said that the move could weaken the welfare pension system and exclude vulnerable beneficiaries.
The government has ordered that pensions for all beneficiaries, except those who are completely bedridden, be transferred to their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts through DBT.
Completely bedridden beneficiaries will continue to receive their pensions at home.
The government order cites the higher cost of distributing pensions through cooperative societies, delays in returning undistributed pension amounts, and lapses in recording distribution details on the service portal among the reasons for the decision.
The order argues that there are difficulties such as pensions being paid to ineligible beneficiaries or more than once to the same person due to the incomplete implementation of Aadhaar-based pension distribution.
The government has further said that continuing doorstep distribution could result in Kerala losing financial assistance from the Union government because of non-compliance with its directions on DBT-based pension payments.
Around 62 lakh people in Kerala receive social security pensions, including elderly persons, widows, persons with disabilities, agricultural labourers among others.
According to Balagopal, around half of the beneficiaries have opted to receive their pensions through bank transfers, while the remaining beneficiaries depend on doorstep delivery.
Balagopal said, “Nearly 25 lakh people in Kerala are currently receiving their pensions directly through cooperative banks. Asking all of them to open bank accounts and receive the pension only through digital transactions is a challenge to elderly and vulnerable people.”
He also rejected the government’s justification that the Union government’s requirements on DBT necessitated the change. Balagopal said only around eight lakh pension beneficiaries in Kerala receive financial assistance from the Union government, with their contribution ranging from Rs 300 to Rs 500.
“We have already brought those eight lakh people under the required system. There is no issue with that. Cooperative bank accounts are also Aadhaar-linked,” Balagopal said, alleging that the decision was an attempt to weaken the social welfare pension scheme.
Pinarayi said, “Those who receive doorstep pensions without DBT are outside the banking service network. The vast majority of them belong to economically weaker sections and face health-related difficulties. The new order is therefore a major blow to people who need the care and support of society. It is this system that the UDF government is attempting to weaken,” Pinarayi said.
He also questioned the extent of the Union government’s financial contribution to Kerala’s social security pensions.
According to Pinarayi, the Union government’s share accounts for only around 1% of the total amount distributed as social security pensions in Kerala each month and covers around 13.5% of the beneficiaries.
“The state government bears the entire amount for the remaining 86%. Therefore, the LDF government had proceeded by rejecting the Union government’s directives on the mode of pension distribution.
However, the UDF government is using the Union government’s directive as an opportunity to weaken the pension scheme itself,” Pinarayi said.
The government order says the decision followed a recommendation from Kerala Social Security Pension Limited to make DBT mandatory for all beneficiaries except completely bedridden persons and those for whom doorstep delivery cannot be avoided.
The order also refers to existing directions requiring cooperative societies to return undistributed pension amounts within a stipulated period and complete the related data entry.
The government says that although the service portal is opened for 10 days after monthly pension distribution to allow societies to record repayment details, several societies fail to complete the process within the prescribed period.
The state government had earlier permitted primary agricultural credit societies and other cooperative societies to distribute social security pensions at beneficiaries’ homes.
