Now Reading: Kerala UDF stops doorstep pension delivery, draws flak
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Kerala UDF stops doorstep pension delivery, draws flak
Kerala's Congress-led UDF government has stopped doorstep delivery of social security pensions, moving the monthly ₹2,500 to direct bank transfers for 62 lakh beneficiaries. The previous LDF government had delivered cash at…
The Story in Brief
Kerala's Congress-led UDF government has stopped doorstep delivery of social security pensions, moving the monthly ₹2,500 to direct bank transfers for 62 lakh beneficiaries. The previous LDF government had delivered cash at home via cooperative banks. The UDF will now only allow doorstep service for bedridden recipients.
The LDF opposition, led by CPI(M) leaders K.N. Balagopal and M.V. Govindan, has called the move anti-poor and a political plot to create red tape. They say 25 lakh beneficiaries already use bank transfers, but the remaining mostly elderly and non-bank-savvy will struggle. The UDF cites transparency and centre's DBT directives, though the state funds 86% of the pension amount.
The Indian Opinion
Both the ruling UDF and opposition LDF are using the pension delivery change as a political baton. The LDF calls it anti-poor, but its own system through cooperative banks had its own flaws, including delayed refunds. The UDF cites transparency, yet offering no transition help to elderly beneficiaries who cannot visit a bank is harsh. The real test is not party lines but how many of the 62 lakh pensioners actually receive their July payment without a hitch.
Sources (2): thehindu.com, thefederal.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
