Bhubaneswar: Announcing expansion and complete saturation of the Madhu Babu Pension Yojana (MBPY), Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday introduced over five lakh new beneficiaries into the scheme and scrapped the previous quota system.
The Chief Minister also launched the Unified Pension Management Portal (UPMP), aimed at making the pension application and disbursement process simpler, faster and more transparent.
Speaking at an event in Baleshwar, Majhi said 5,05,817 additional eligible beneficiaries have been included in the scheme in fulfilment of the budgetary commitment made this year. With the latest addition, the total number of beneficiaries under the Madhu Babu Pension Yojana has increased to 41,80,825, marking complete saturation of the scheme, he said.
The previous government followed a fixed quota system at both the state and district levels, under which an eligible applicant could receive a pension only when an existing beneficiary died and a vacancy arose, said Majhi
Describing the system as insensitive and inhuman, Majhi said the government has abolished the quota-based system to ensure that no eligible senior citizen, widow, destitute person or individual with disabilities is deprived of social security benefits.
Majhi said the inclusion of more than five lakh additional beneficiaries would entail an additional annual expenditure of around Rs 625 crore.
Noting that the government spends substantial amounts on various welfare schemes, he said it would be inappropriate to deny elderly citizens their rightful benefits for the sake of Rs 500-600 crore. The expenditure should instead be viewed as an investment in their welfare and dignity, he added.
Under the newly launched UPMP, eligible individuals can apply for pension benefits online or submit their applications at the nearest Jan Seva Kendra or Block Development Officer’s office.
The Chief Minister assured that pension payments would begin regularly from the month immediately following the submission of applications.
He also announced that beneficiaries would not be required to submit fresh applications to receive the enhanced monthly pension of Rs 3,500 after attaining the age of 80. The revised amount would be automatically applied once they reached the prescribed age, he said.
Newly enrolled beneficiaries will receive their pensions for October and November together. District-level distribution programmes will be organised from November 11 to 13, followed by block-level programmes from November 18 to 20.
Those unable to collect their pensions during these programmes can receive the amount in cash from their respective Gram Panchayat or Municipality offices on November 25. From December onwards, pensions will be disbursed regularly on the 15th of every month.
During the programme, the Chief Minister also inaugurated 28 development projects worth Rs 78 crore and laid the foundation stones for 42 projects worth Rs 262 crore across Baleshwar district. The projects together involve an investment of approximately Rs 340 crore.
Several beneficiaries received pension assistance directly from the Chief Minister. They included Amulya Acharya and Phulamani Marandi from Baleshwar Sadar, Shiva Singh and Jayanti Sahu from Remuna, Prafulla Nayak and Hiran Das from Nilagiri, and Gayatri Behera and Gajendra Mahapatra from Nilagiri NAC.
Majhi also launched an awareness campaign vehicle for the MBPY, prepared by the state Department of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, who also holds the Women and Child Development and Tourism portfolios, said the government was committed to empowering women and helping them emerge as entrepreneurs rather than remaining merely beneficiaries of welfare schemes.
Minister for Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities and School and Mass Education Nityananda Gond said pensions were not merely financial assistance but also a means of ensuring dignity, self-respect and social security.