Now Reading: Kerala UDF halts doorstep pension delivery, faces opposition flak
-
01
Kerala UDF halts doorstep pension delivery, faces opposition flak
Kerala's Congress-led UDF government has stopped doorstep delivery of social welfare pensions for 62 lakh beneficiaries, shifting to direct bank transfers via Aadhaar-linked accounts. The monthly pension is Rs 2,500. Only 'bedridden'…
The Story in Brief
Kerala's Congress-led UDF government has stopped doorstep delivery of social welfare pensions for 62 lakh beneficiaries, shifting to direct bank transfers via Aadhaar-linked accounts. The monthly pension is Rs 2,500. Only 'bedridden' recipients will get cash at home through cooperative banks. The previous LDF government had delivered pensions door-to-door for most.
The CPI(M) has accused the UDF of an 'anti-poor' move. Former finance minister K.N. Balagopal said 25 lakh recipients already use DBT, but the majority are not bank-savvy. He warned that biometric mustering and new paperwork could cause backlogs and exploitation. CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan said the party would mobilise beneficiaries across party lines against the decision.
The Indian Opinion
The CPI(M) cries 'anti-poor' and smells a political plot, but the UDF says DBT cuts waste and red-tape. Both sides have a point: 25 lakh beneficiaries already use bank transfers, yet the elderly and non-bank-savvy may struggle with biometric mustering. The real test is whether the new system creates backlogs or leaves the most vulnerable dependent on exploitative intermediaries. A number to watch: how many of the remaining 37 lakh complete the transfer in time.
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
