'80,000 more people to get old-age pension,' announces Arvind Kejriwal ahead of Delhi polls

New Delhi: AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said an additional 80,000 people are now eligible for old-age pension in Delhi, raising the total number of such beneficiaries to 5.3 lakh.

Kejriwal said at a press conference that the Delhi government is committed to social welfare and highlighted that the decision to pay old-age pension to more people is being implemented following Cabinet approval on Sunday.

On Sunday, the Delhi government launched a portal for the elderly to apply for pensions. It has already received 10,000 applications, Kejriwal claimed.

"It is a sin to stop the pensions of old people," Kejriwal said, accusing the BJP of halting pensions during his imprisonment.

"After coming out, we not only restarted the halted pensions but also added 80,000 new beneficiaries," he said.

After this addition, the total number of pensioners in Delhi is around 5.3 lakh, Kejriwal added.

Kejriwal further claimed that Delhi offers the highest pension rates in the country, with Rs 2,000 provided to individuals aged 60-69 and Rs 2,500 for those aged 70 and above.

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj were also present at the press conference.

Atishi reaffirmed the government’s dedication to serving the people, while Bharadwaj announced plans to extend Rs 5,000 monthly pension to differently-abled individuals.