(Prashanth Reddy)
Telangana Congress welcomed the GO issued by the TRS Government enhancing the amount of pension for all categories of Aasra beneficiaries.
The Party, however, demanded that the hike should be brought in to effect retrospectively from December 13, 2018, or maximum January and not June this year.
Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Official Spokesperson Syed Nizamuddin said the Telangana Govt had issued G.O. Ms. No. 34 on 28-05-2019 enhancing the pension amount of Rs. 1,000 for Old Age, Widow, Weavers, Toddy Tappers, Persons with HIV-AIDS, Beedi Workers, Single Women and Filaria Patients to Rs. 2,016.
The pension for Disabled will be enhanced from the present Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 3,016 with effect from June and payable in July.
“While we welcome the decision, but condemn the State Government for delaying the hike by six months,” Nizamuddin said.
The Congress leader recalled that it was the Congress party which originally promised to double the pension amount if voted to power during the campaign for the 2018 Assembly elections.
“TRS simply copied the idea and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao has just added Rs. 16 to the amount and promised to Rs. 2,016 monthly pension. People believed TRS and voted for it. Elections results were declared on December 11 and KCR took oath on December 13, 2018. It is incumbent on the chief miniser to implement the promise immediately, with effect from December 13 or maximum from the month of January 2019. Therefore, the Congress party demands that the enhanced pension amount be paid with retrospective effect from December 13, 2018, when KCR took oath as CM for the second term,” demanded Nizamuddin.