NTR introduced pension scheme first—Chandrababu enhances it up to Rs 4000 

••TDP feels the new pension plan advantageous to TDP

••Rs 1000 hike at a time attracts downtrodden sections

Patibandla Srinivas

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Amaravati: Former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s announcement of a pension scheme hike of Rs 4000 per month seems to be a big advantage to Telugu Desam. He announced a Rs 4000 pension for a month in his Kuppam tour on Monday night. The new pension announcement would be implemeneted if the TDP comes to power.  

As per political analysts, the announcement will be a bigger advantage to the Telugu Desam party for the forthcoming elections. Though the governments are implementing various welfare schemes, originally the pension scheme is only a real benefit to the society. Nearly 66 lakh poor people especially old age people, widows, and disabled persons are getting pensions monthly.

The political dispensations may change but the pension scheme has been continuing for the last several decades. It is the most useful to beneficiaries. They buy medicines and other necessary food requirements. No one ever has criticised the pension scheme of any government so far because of its importance.

Former Chief Minister and TDP founder the late NT Rama Rao launched the pension scheme at Rs 30 per month. He introduced several welfare schemes like Rs 2 kg rice, pukka houses, and Janata clothes for the upliftment of poor people. Later the successive governments continued the welfare schemes including the pension scheme.

Later the TDP hiked the pension amount from Rs 30 to Rs 70. Later the Congress led by YS Rajasekhar Reddy government hiked the pension amount up to Rs 200. Former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had increased the pension amount to Rs 1000 and his government increased it up to Rs 2000. Now the YSR Congress government led by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy announced a pension amount of Rs 3000. Though he announced  Rs 250 annual increase from Rs 2000 but finally he made steps for an increase after four years instead of the first year. However, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy provided pension at doorsteps.