Haryana Government on Wednesday launched an action plan for direct benefit transfer of social security pensions in 5,000 villages of the State under the ‘Thari Pension Thare Pass’ Scheme.
Kavita Jain, Haryana Social Justice and Empowerment Minister launched the action plan by directly transferring pensions for August, 2015, amounting to `156 crore, to the bank accounts of more than 13 lakh beneficiaries at the click of mouse.
Pension arrears amounting to `27 crore for March to July, 2015, were also disbursed.
The Minister also launched ‘Kalyan Window’, a section created as a part of the department’s official website where beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries can upload their complaints and suggestions.
Speaking on the occasion, Jain said that the Haryana Government had been successful in providing pensions and other benefits to more people. “The disbursement of pensions through banks and post office banks was started in 51 villages with the pension for February 2015, paid in March 2015. These are now being directly transferred to the accounts of beneficiaries in 2,625 villages and 81 cities.”
This was being done through banks, post offices, resident Business Correspondent Agents and Additional BCAs, PACS, Vodafone mPesa, Common Service Centres and Gramin Dak Sewaks.
“The State Government is now making efforts to provide pensions to the remaining 1,757 villages through the DBT system,” she said.
The State Government has sanctioned more than 1.73 lakh new pension accounts till July 2015.
The Minister said, “Haryana Government has been able to achieve transparency and end the role of middlemen in the disbursal of pensions as envisioned in the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s ‘Digital India’ scheme and “Digital Haryana’ scheme.”
It was a difficult task, but we overcame the hardships and even introduced some innovations, including Kalyan Window, she said.
Jain also asked banks to open branches or appoint officers in the remaining villages which did not have access to these facilities.