Old age pension will be raised to Rs 1.5K per month, says Asim | Lucknow News

Lucknow: In a major announcement, social welfare minister Asim Arun said that beneficiaries of the Old Age Pension Scheme and CM Kanya Sumangala Yojana will no longer be required to fill up forms to avail the benefits of these schemes. Consent will be obtained via phone or electronic means, and based on existing records, beneficiaries will be verified and enrolled, he said. A statewide pilot project is likely to be rolled out in next 2–3 months, the minister said. “The department has data on 1.65 lakh low-income elderly citizens who were excluded. They won’t have to visit offices anymore,” said Arun. The monthly old age pension will also be increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500.To check fraud, the state govt is introducing facial recognition in old age homes (with daily verifications) and Aadhaar authentication in the Mass Marriage Scheme, he said. These steps will eliminate fake identities and middlemen. “Schemes can be well designed, but if corruption seeps in they become meaningless. We’re using technology to prevent that,” Arun said. Old age homes will also receive elder-friendly upgrades, including better toilets, and seating and walking facilities.Asim Arun highlighted the significance of collective efforts to build a developed UP. He outlined a process beginning with a continuous 24-hour of the UP Assembly session, which was held last month, to discuss plans, followed by open public dialogue to gather millions of suggestions. Arun identified eradicating corruption and ensuring flawless policy implementation as critical challenges, praising govt’s strict anti-corruption stance and emphasising that addressing these issues is essential for achieving development goals. TNN