COVID-19: Elderly, differently-abled, widows get advance 3-month pension
The Centre will give three-month pension in advance to nearly three-crore widows, senior citizens and differently-abled in the first week of April amid the lockdown over the novel coronavirus pandemic, officials said on Friday.
The Centre will give three-month pension in advance to nearly three-crore widows, senior citizens and differently-abled in the first week of April amid the lockdown over the novel coronavirus pandemic, officials said on Friday (March 27).
Under the National Social Assistance Program (NSAP), a monthly pension is being given to the poor senior citizens, widows and persons with disabilities.
The program comes under the purview of the Union Rural Development Ministry. There are 2.98-crore beneficiaries under this programme and the pensions are transferred directly to their bank accounts, officials said.
Related news: COVID-19 relief: ₹50L insurance for healthcare staff, ration for poor
The Centre has decided to give three-month pension in advance to all the 2.98-crore beneficiaries by the first week of April, according to the officials.
As per the NSAP, ₹200 per month is given to senior citizens from 60-79 years of age and ₹500 per month to 80 years and above.
An amount of ₹300 per month is given to the widows in the age group of 40-79 years and ₹500 to 80 years and above.
Related news: FinMin announces economic package to tackle COVID-19
For the differently-abled, the pension is fixed at ₹300 per month up to 79 years of age and ₹500 for 80 years and above.
Besides this pension, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had on Thursday announced an ex gratia amount of ₹1,000 over the next three months and it will be given in two installments. This is over and above the pension that has been given on a monthly basis.
