Pensioners to go cashless from April 1, in Udupi district

Pensioners to go cashless from April 1, in Udupi district

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Mar 5,2017: From April 1, people will no longer receive pension through money order. Instead, all kinds of pensions will be paid to pensioners through bank accounts only (direct benefit transfer). A circular is already being issued to collect Aadhaar card number from pensioners which will be linked to the post office or bank account numbers.


With the consent letter and a passport size photo, an account will be opened. After which, the amount will be directly transferred to pensioners. They can access the amount from banks and post offices too.


Associate director for social security and pension department said, "Already 92 % Aadhaar seeding has been completed in the district. The project aims to go cashless and revive the address of people who have migrated and shifted from one place to another. Officials of the pension department, from past one month are working over collection of Aadhaar number and helping the pensioners to get an account at bank/post office. 80 % accounts have already been opened. 10% are those people who cannot walk to the bank and post offices. In such cases, officials personally visited their house and collected information and opened an account. The remaining is pending and it will be done within a month."


The district has 1,10,828 total pensioners. Out of which, 1,03,785 members take pension through money order(MO), 5803 from the bank and 1,240 post office. We have to open accounts for 1,03,785 members. Under old age pension, members upto 64 years get Rs 200 and above 65 gets Rs 500, widow pension is Rs 500, Sandhya suraksha schemes Rs 500, Manaswini Rs 500 and Mitri Rs 500. Handicapped pension schemes varies according to the percentage of their ability, starting from Rs 500 to maximum of Rs 1,200. The new applicant who will get pension will be put under direct benefit transfer. Pensions of those who fail to provide information will be cancelled
.