Finance
Over 5.05 lakh new beneficiaries have been added to the Madhu Babu Pension Yojana (MBPY), raising the total beneficiaries to more than 41.80 lakh, announced Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday, confirming full saturation of the state’s social security pension program.
Majhi also initiated the Unified Pension Management Portal (UPMP), designed to streamline, accelerate, and enhance the transparency of the pension application and payment process.
During an event at the Reserve Police Line Ground in Baleshwar, the Chief Minister announced that 5,05,817 more eligible beneficiaries have been added to the scheme as part of this year’s budgetary promise.
Following the most recent addition, the overall count of beneficiaries in the Madhu Babu Pension Yojana has risen to 41,80,825, indicating total saturation of the program, he stated.
The Chief Minister stated that the former government implemented a set quota system at both state and district levels, allowing an eligible applicant to obtain a pension only when a current beneficiary passed away and a position became available.
Characterizing the system as callous and unfeeling, Majhi stated that his administration had eliminated the quota-based system to guarantee that no qualified senior citizen, widow, impoverished individual, or person with disabilities was denied social security benefits.
He stated that adding over five lakh more beneficiaries would require an extra annual cost of approximately Rs 625 crore.
Highlighting that the government allocates significant funds to different welfare programs, Majhi stated that it would be unjust to withhold the rightful benefits of elderly citizens over Rs 500-600 crore. The spending should be regarded as an investment in their well-being and respect, he stated.
With the recently introduced UPMP, qualified individuals can either apply for pension benefits online or hand in their applications at the closest Jan Seva Kendra or Block Development Officer’s office.
The Chief Minister guaranteed that pension disbursements would start consistently in the month right after the applications are submitted.
He further stated that recipients would not need to submit new applications to obtain the increased monthly pension of Rs 3,500 upon reaching 80 years old. The updated sum would be automatically implemented when they attained the specified age, he mentioned.
Newly registered beneficiaries will get their pensions for October and November at the same time. Programs at the district level will take place from November 11 to 13, and block-level programs will occur from November 18 to 20.
Individuals who are unable to obtain their pensions during these programs can collect the amount in cash from their local Gram Panchayat or Municipality offices on November 25. Starting in December, pensions will be paid out consistently on the 15th each month.
Throughout the program, the Chief Minister launched 28 development initiatives valued at Rs 78 crore and placed the foundation stones for 42 projects totaling Rs 262 crore throughout Baleshwar district. The combined projects entail an investment of about Rs 340 crore.
Multiple beneficiaries obtained pension support straight from the Chief Minister. Among them were Amulya Acharya and Phulamani Marandi from Baleshwar Sadar, Shiva Singh and Jayanti Sahu from Remuna, Prafulla Nayak and Hiran Das from Nilagiri, along with Gayatri Behera and Gajendra Mahapatra from Nilagiri NAC.
Majhi also launched a campaign vehicle for the Madhu Babu Pension Yojana, created by the state Department of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, who manages the Women and Child Development and Tourism departments, stated that the government is dedicated to empowering women and assisting them in becoming entrepreneurs instead of just being recipients of welfare programs.
She stated that Self-Help Groups (SHGs) could facilitate the development of small and medium enterprises and guaranteed that the government would make certain beneficiaries obtained their rightful benefits promptly.
The Minister for Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities and School and Mass Education, Nityananda Gond, stated that pensions are not just financial aid but also serve to uphold dignity, self-respect, and social security.
He stated that the government was focusing on the consistent monthly distribution of pensions to elderly individuals, widows, impoverished people, and those with disabilities.
Baleshwar MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi characterized the event as an important occasion for the district and appreciated the Chief Minister’s involvement in the pension distribution initiative.
Present at the event were Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, Cooperation Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta, Forest, Environment and Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia, Government Deputy Chief Whip and Remuna MLA Gobinda Chandra Das, alongside various other legislators and senior officials.
Baleshwar District Collector Suryawanshi Mayur Vikas and Commissioner-cum-Secretary Dr Brundha D also attended the event, which saw a significant turnout of attendees.
