Kerala UDF govt’s move to halt doorstep delivery of social welfare pension draws political flak
CPI(M) announces large-scale mobilisation of pension beneficiaries and their families, cutting across political lines, against UDF government’s move
Kerala’s UDF government’s recent decision to halt the doorstep delivery of social welfare pension and transfer the monthly payment of ₹2,500 to Aadhaar-linked bank accounts has faced strong opposition from the ruling Congress-led UDF and its Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) rivals. Approximately 62 lakh beneficiaries, encompassing the elderly, infirm, differently-abled, widows, agricultural laborers, and single women over 60, have been adversely affected by this move.
The UDF government’s decision to limit doorstep cash delivery to only "bedridden" recipients has sparked outrage among the CPI(M) and other Opposition parties, who accuse the UDF of plotting to undermine the welfare scheme for the economically disadvantaged. CPI(M) leader K.N. Balagopal claims the move will burden the pension recipients who are less familiar with banking systems, potentially leading to exploitation and backlogs in the process.
He also argues that the UDF's claim of ₹30 service charges being expensive for the exchequer lacks merit, as disbursers receive only ₹30 regardless of the amount of pension disbursed. Balagopal urged the UDF government to rectify issues through financial reconciliation with cooperative banks instead of disrupting the entire system.
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