New Delhi: Minister of State for Food and Public Distribution Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti has informed that there is no plan to increase the amount of old age pension. The minister said this in response to a question raised by DMK MP D. Ravikumar in the Lok Sabha today.
Villupuram Constituency MP D. Ravikumar said, ‘Does the government know that the old age pension amount has not been increased for the last 12 years? Is there any plan to raise it in the budget? How much has the central government allotted to the states every year for old age pension for the last 10 years?’ He asked the question.
In a written reply to this question, Union Minister Sathvi Niranjan Jyoti said: Under this scheme, Rs 200 per month is given to people living below the poverty line between the ages of 60 and 79.
In 2007, it was raised from Rs.75 to Rs.200. The stipend given to people above 80 years of age has been increased to Rs.500 since 2011. This amount has been revised for the 15th Finance Committee period (2021-26). It was then decided to continue the project as is. So now the government has no idea of raising this. But we encourage the state governments to go above and beyond. Thus he replied.
DMK MP D. Ravikumar told reporters on Union Minister Sathvi’s reply, “Before BJP came to power, comparatively more funds were allocated for this project. Rs.6596.47 crore was also given in 2011 when there was a Congress coalition government. In 2012, Rs.7884.35 crore and in 2013 Rs.9112.46 crore have been allocated.
In the first budget of 2014 when the BJP came to power, the funds for this were reduced by half to Rs 4180.98 crore from the previous year. Since then there has been a gradual decline every year.
For the year 2021-22, they have allocated Rs.5806.39 crore. In the 2022-23 budget, Rs.6602.09 crore has been allocated for this project. They have allocated Rs.6634.32 crore in the budget for this year 2023-24.
The current allocation is Rs 2,478.14 crore less than what was allocated in 2013, 10 years ago under the Congress coalition government. This is a great proof of how this government is neglecting the senior citizens of this country. The financial burden on the state governments increases due to reduction in the Union government’s financial allocation. In 2014, the Parliamentary Estimates Committee, which examined the scheme, recommended a hike from Rs 200 to Rs 300. After that, even after about 10 years, this amount has not been increased and remains at Rs.200.”
