Telugu Desam Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday claimed to have made a big promise to the people that if his party is voted to power, he would enhance the monthly pension for senior citizens and destitute women to Rs 4,000 per month.
He also declared that he would ensure the payment of pension directly at the doorsteps of the pensioners on the first day of every month.
He made this promise, while addressing a big public meeting at Kuppam, his home constituency in Chittoor district.
"I am assuring you all that I will not adopt the policy of giving Rs 100 from one hand and looting Rs 1,000 from the other. The welfare programmes will have no restrictions and Rs 4,000 monthly pension will be paid for each beneficiary soon after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is into power in these elections," Naidu said.
One wonders what is new in Naidu’s promise. At present, the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government is already paying Rs 3,000 per month as pension and the village volunteers are taking steps to hand over the pension to the beneficiaries at their doorsteps directly on the first day of every month.
Moreover, Jagan also has already announced the enhanced pension of Rs 4,000 per month, if the YSRCP is voted to power again. So, there is absolutely nothing new in Naidu’s announcement, analysts said.
“He should have come up with a new package of pension scheme. In any case, major part of the pension amount comes from the Centre. So, the credit doesn’t go to the TDP alone, but the BJP as well,” an analyst said.