Amid the row over pending social security pension payments, the Finance department has observed that the cesses on Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and petrol and diesel announced in the 2023-24 State Budget are insufficient to meet even one month’s pension payments in full.
In the eight months from April 1 to November 30, 2023 the ‘social security cess’ on petrol and diesel yielded only ₹600.78 crore and that on IMFL ₹139.92 crore, Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal informed the Assembly on Tuesday.
This was scarcely sufficient to pay even one month’s pensions to the beneficiaries, he said.
