Applications of over 2,000 women for pension rejected: Himachal Minister Shandil

Shimla: Applications of over 2,000 women have been rejected for a pension of Rs 1,500 per month under the "Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Rashi" scheme as these applicants were found ineligible during verification, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr Dhani Ram Shandil said on Friday.

Responding to questions by the BJP's Rakesh Jamwal, Pawan Kajal, Sukh Ram Chowdhary, Randhir Sharma and others, Dr Dhani Ram Shandil said 7,88,784 applications were received up to July 31, 2024 for pension.

However, under the scheme only one eligible woman in the family would be given a pension, Shandil said.

Shandil said that the government has increased the pension of 2,45,881 women to Rs 1,500, who were already receiving pensions under the Social Security Pension Scheme. Additionally, 28,249 women were added to the scheme, including 1,006 tribal women from Lahaul and Spiti districts.

As many as 2,384 applications were rejected for pensions under the "Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Rashi" scheme as they were found ineligible during the verification process, Shandil said.

A budget provision of Rs 22.84 crore has been made for giving pensions to eligible women in the age group of 18 to 59. So far, Rs 1.20 crore has been spent, he said. Verification of applications was delayed due to the Model Code of Conduct for Lok Sabha polls and assembly by-elections.

Rakesh Jamwal said that during the elections, the Congress party had promised to give a pension of Rs 1500 per month to all women in the age group of 18 to 59 years. After coming to power the government has put conditions which debarred large numbers of women from pension benefits.