Rajasthan Launches Give-Up Campaign For Social Security Pensions

Following a Give-up campaign for subsidies in the public distribution system, the Rajasthan government has now come up with a similar campaign for social security pensions. The state government has urged the beneficiaries who have crossed the annual income limit for social security pensions to voluntarily opt out from pension schemes.

“The government annually verifies all social security pension holders to determine their eligibility. Families or individuals with annual incomes exceeding Rs 48,000 but still receiving pensions are being urged to relinquish them so that needy people get the benefits,” said Avinash Gehlot, minister for social justice and empowerment.

The state government had recently conducted a survey of the social security pension beneficiaries and found that around 302,000 have paid electricity bills of more than Rs 24,000 annually.

Considering these beneficiaries as financially capable enough, the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment has asked all the collectors to verify the annual income and eligibility for pension of beneficiaries and at the same time launched a give-up campaign.

There are around 92 lakh beneficiaries, including elderly people, specially abled people, and widows who are being paid social security pensions of up to Rs 1500 per month under seven social welfare schemes.