Kollu distributes NTR Bharosa pensions

Machilipatnam: Minister for Mines & Geology and Excise Kollu Ravindra visited several households in the 16th Division here on Monday and distributed Dr NTR Bharosa Social Security pensions to beneficiaries along with APSRTC Chairman Konakalla Narayana Rao and Krishna DCMS Chairman Bandi Ramakrishna. He also interacted with beneficiaries and handed over housing sanction cheques under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said that around 30,000 beneficiaries in Machilipatnam received pensions early in the morning. At the same time, 64 lakh people across the State were covered through doorstep delivery—reflecting the government’s sincerity.

The minister informed that the government is spending nearly Rs 2,700 crore every month on pensions and has so far disbursed about Rs 54,000 crore.

Tracing the evolution of welfare pensions, he recalled that NT Rama Rao introduced pensions at Rs 30, which were later increased to Rs 75 by N Chandrababu Naidu. The previous governments took years to raise the amount to Rs 200, he said.

Ravindra added that the government is successfully implementing all key welfare schemes, including Super Six programmes--Talliki Vandanam, Annadata Sukhibhava, financial aid for auto drivers, Stree Shakti Scheme, free bus travel for women, and free gas cylinders. He urged the public to remain vigilant against attempts to destabilise the government. Several local leaders participated in the programme.