Bihar Govt hikes pension for elderly, widows, disabled persons to Rs 1100 per month
The hiked pension will be effective from July. It will benefit 10,969,255 people covered under the various social security pension schemes.
Ahead of assembly elections Bihar Government on June 21 decided to hike monthly pension for elderly, disabled persons, and widowed women covered under the state’s Social Security Pension Schemes to Rs 1100 from Rs 400.
The hiked pension will be effective from July. It will benefit 10,969,255 people covered under the various social security pension schemes.
“I am pleased to inform you that under the Social Security Pension Scheme, all elderly persons, differently-abled individuals, and widowed women will now receive a pension of Rs 1,100 per month instead of Rs 400. All beneficiaries will receive the pension at the increased rate starting from July,” Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said in a social media post on X.
The government will make sure that the beneficiaries receive the hiked amount on the tenth of each month, the chief minister said.
“It will be ensured that this amount is transferred to the accounts of all beneficiaries by the 10th of each month. This will greatly benefit 1,09,69,255 beneficiaries. The elderly people are a priceless part of society, and ensuring their dignified living is our top priority. The state government will continue to strive relentlessly in this direction,” he said.
Calling it a ‘historic day’, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary thanked the Chief Minister for hiking the amount in the pension plans. “Today is a historic day as the CM has increased the pensions for widows, the elderly, and the specially abled. I thank the CM for this.”
The announcement was made just a week after Kumar transferred Rs 254 crore to 61,29,548 beneficiaries under five major social security schemes.
On June 20, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth over Rs 5,200 crore in Bihar’s Siwan. Addressing a large crowd, he said, “India is on the path to becoming the third-largest economy, and Bihar will play a big role in this.”
More power to Mukhiyas
In an effort to strengthen local administration, the Bihar government has also amended powers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). Village chiefs (mukhiyas) can now approve schemes of up to Rs 10 lakh on their own, doubling the earlier limit of Rs 5 lakh.
Further consolidating local governance, Chief Minister Kumar sanctioned substantial hikes in allowances of elected members of the Panchayati Raj system in a meeting on Thursday.
The Zilla Parishad (ZP) President’s monthly allowance increased from Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000.
The ZP Vice President’s allowance was raised from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000.
Mukhiyas will now receive Rs 7,500 per month, up from Rs 5,000.
