The Pradhan Mantri Maandhan Yojana, a pension scheme launched by the Central Government on Tuesday, would bring a radical change in lives of very poor and distressed people of the society, claimed Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan here.
Attending a progamme, held to mark inauguration of the scheme by PM Narendra Modi in Gurjarat, Pradhan said as many as 42 crore people, including two crore of Odisha, would get pension of Rs 3,000 per month.
“While pension system was there for Government employees earlier, the Modi Government has come forward to provide economic support to people in the unorganized sectors like small vendors, rickshaw pullers, construction workers, agriculture labourers, petrol pump workers and gas distributors.
He said youths from 18 to 40 years of age can participate in the scheme. While an 18-year-youth would pay Rs 55, a 40-year-old man would pay Rs 200 per month. The Union Governent will pay equal amount of money. The beneficiaries would also have automatic coverage of the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Surakha and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti schemes.
Pradhan informed that over six lakh people in the country, including 30,000 of Odisha have already been enrolled in the programme. As many as 24,000 cards have been prepared for Odisha beneficiaries, he said.
He requested the bureaucrats of the State Government to provide support for implementation of the scheme in the State.