Politics over disbursement of monthly social security pension has reached a new level in Andhra Pradesh with the YSRCP and the TDP blaming each other for the plight of pensioners running around places to get it.
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday blamed his bete noire and TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu for first stopping delivery of social security pension through volunteers and later forcing the beneficiaries to run around the banks and the government offices to get it.
On the other hand, the TDP complained to Chief Secretary K.S. Jawahar Reddy on the delay in distribution of social security pension to the beneficiaries thus subjecting them to harassment only for the benefit of the ruling dispensation.
In a letter to the Chief Secretary, released to the media here, Naidu felt that it is highly objectionable and barbarous that a government officer, who should function responsibly for the welfare of the people, even without an iota of thought, advocating one particular political party resulting in causing great inconvenience to the people. Pointing out the memo issued by the poll panel on April 2 that the pension be distributed ontime to the beneficiaries without causing any inconvenience to the old, the physically challenged and the widows, the TDP supremo said that neglecting this memo totally these beneficiaries were forced to stand in long queues last month before the village secretariats resulting in the death of 33 innocent persons and harassment to lakhs of pensioners.
Addressing an election meeting at Kanigiri in Prakasam district, Jagan Mohan Reddy alleged that Naidu through Nimmagada Ramesh Kumar, got a representation submitted to the poll panel to stop distribution of pensions through volunteers first. He found fault with the TDP leader for the plight of the pensioners and forcing them to run around offices and go to the banks to collect it.
"During YSRCP regime, on the first of every month, we had ensured delivery of pension at the doorstep of the beneficiaries," he said and promised the voters that he would . ensure payment regularly on first of every month if he was reelected.
He said a vote for Naidu would bring an end to welfare schemes like Amma Vodi, Nestam, Sunna Vodi, fees reimbursement and Rs.25 lakh Arogya Sree medical coverage. He said Naidu is giving utopian promises which cannot be implemented and alleged that when Naidu was Chief Minister, he just gave a pension of Rs.1,000 per month.
The number of pensioners was only 39 lakh during Naidu's tenure which YSRCP increased to 65 lakh with a monthly pension of Rs.3,000.