Welfare pension may be paid in advance for Onam

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala government is considering giving one month’s welfare pension in advance for Onam. A decision will be taken after assessing the state’s financial position. Under the proposal, the September pension may be disbursed along with the August pension. The move would require the government to mobilise an additional Rs 940 crore.

Apart from salaries and pension expenses for Onam, the government will also have to meet major expenses such as festival allowances, bonuses and salary advances. It may have to raise more than Rs 10,000 crore to meet these additional expenses. The Centre’s restrictions on borrowing are also likely to add to the government’s financial difficulties.

Time to link bank accounts

Welfare pension beneficiaries will be given time to open and link bank accounts. The government plans to shift pension payments to banks. Welfare pensions will be credited to bank accounts that have completed KYC and are linked with Aadhaar.

At present, 51.10 lakh people receive welfare pensions in Kerala. Of these, 27.95 lakh beneficiaries currently receive their pensions through banks. The remaining 23.14 lakh beneficiaries receive the pension at their homes through cooperative societies. The government plans to shift the pension payments of beneficiaries who are not bedridden to bank accounts. Meanwhile, the government has begun collecting details of bedridden pensioners.