Finance Dept sanctions Rs 900 crore; welfare pension to be disbursed from July 24

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government on Sunday approved the disbursal of a month's welfare pension. Finance Minister KN Balagopal said that the pension will be distributed from July 24. Each beneficiary will get Rs 1600 as a welfare pension.

The Finance Department has sanctioned Rs 900 crores for pension distribution. Those who have provided their bank account numbers will receive the pension through their accounts, while others will receive it at their homes through cooperative societies.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said in the Assembly that the arrears of welfare pensions of 62 lakh beneficiaries in the state would be distributed in a time-bound manner, and his government has plans to increase them further.

The other day, the Kerala High Court had asked the government if it could provide at least a small portion of the welfare pension arrears to the beneficiaries in the state. The court asked this while considering the plea filed by those including Adimali native Mariyakutty against the non-payment of welfare pensions. A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice A Mohammed Mushtaq and Justice S Manu is considering the petition. The division bench will consider the petition again on July 30.