To facilitate beneficiaries living in rural areas of the State, Punjab Government on Wednesday decided to credit old age pensions and financial assistance under other social security schemes directly into their accounts.
“As per the earlier practice, old age pension to the beneficiaries living in the rural areas was provided through the respective panchayats (village council),” said the state Social Security Minister Razia Sultana, adding that the beneficiaries had to face big hurdles in getting the pensions.
“Thus, the Capt Amarinder Singh Government has amended the norms of such social security schemes...Now, the old age pensions and financial assistance under other social security schemes be directly deposited into the accounts of the beneficiaries,” she added.
Sultana said the Punjab Government had also raised the annual income limit for eligibility for pension and other social security schemes to Rs 60,000 and the beneficiaries can now avail the benefit of these social security schemes by furnishing a self-certificate in this regard.
To avail the benefit of pension, an applicant should not be in Government or private employment, and should not have annual income more than Rs 60,000 from any source, including interest or rental income, she said.