Kerala Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal announced on Saturday that June welfare pensions have begun, but it will take time for all 62 lakh beneficiaries to receive funds. He dismissed as "baseless" the KPCC chief's claim of non-payment allegations
Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal. File Pic.
Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal announced on Saturday that the distribution of welfare pensions for the month of June has commenced. However, he noted that the process would require time to be completed, given the substantial number of beneficiaries, which stands at approximately 62 lakh, reported PTI.
Balagopal also firmly dismissed as baseless the allegation made by Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief Sunny Joseph, who had claimed that the government had failed to pay the welfare pension for the month. The minister stated that the KPCC chief's accusation was made without a proper understanding of the established procedures and technicalities involved in pension distribution.
He further clarified that a sum of Rs 825.71 crore designated for welfare pensions was sanctioned on June 20, and the corresponding amount has since been transferred to the concerned banks, according to PTI.
The minister also asserted that a vast majority of the beneficiaries had already received their pensions in their bank accounts on Saturday itself, with the remaining individuals expected to receive theirs in the coming days.
Providing a detailed explanation of the disbursement process, Balagopal stated that beneficiaries are 'mustered' every month, typically from the 1st to the 15th, after which the final list is prepared. Subsequently, based on the number of beneficiaries on the list provided by the Panchayat Director, an official order is issued to allocate the necessary funds, and the money is then transferred, the minister explained, reported PTI.
He also estimated that about half of the pensioners would receive their money directly into their bank accounts.
For beneficiaries who receive their pension amount at home, the money will be transferred to the District Cooperative Joint Registrar. The Registrar, in turn, will transfer the funds to the cooperative bank through which the pension is distributed, Balagopal elaborated. The concerned cooperative bank secretary will then hand over the list and the funds to the officer assigned for distribution in each ward, who will then disburse the amounts and submit a comprehensive report. "The money for the welfare fund boards will be handed over to the concerned boards which will distribute the amounts," the minister's statement concluded, reported PTI.
In a separate statement, Sunny Joseph claimed that the minister had announced on June 16 that pensions would be distributed by June 20, but he alleged that no one had received any amount until then.
The KPCC chief also contended that the pension announcement was a calculated ploy to influence voters in the Nilambur constituency ahead of the by-election held there on June 19. He further alleged that the government had provided pensions en masse to CPI(M) members under the guise of personal staff.
(With inputs from PTI)
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