One instalment of the social security pensions and welfare board pensions will be disbursed from March 15, the State government has said.
All pensioners who had completed the mustering exercise would receive the pension, Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal said on Monday.
The monthly pension of ₹1,600 will be paid through bank accounts to pensioners who have provided the account details. Cooperatives will distribute the pension to those who have opted for direct-to-home distribution.
Since Sept. last year
Social security pensions have been in arrears since September last year. The instalment that will be paid out now is for September 2023.
The State government was taking steps to ensure prompt payment of the monthly pensions from April onwards, even as the State continued to be financially squeezed by the Centre, Mr. Balagopal said.
Replying to questions in the Assembly in January, Mr. Balagopal had blamed the Union government’s decision to curtail the State’s borrowing limit by deeming borrowings made by the Kerala Social Security Pension Ltd. (KSSPL) as direct State debt and the delay in the release of the Central share of the pensions for the mounting arrears.
The State government requires close to ₹900 crore to meet the monthly commitment on social security pensions and welfare board pensions.
