Cong asks govt to clear old-age pension dues
Monday, 22/09/2014
http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx
CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Congress on Sunday accused the SAD-BJP government of failing to disburse old-age pension for the last four months.
In a statement issued here, All India Congress Committee national media panelist and Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee spokesman Jaiveer Shergill said it was a shame that the Akali-BJP government was unable to give ` 250 per month to the 19 lakh beneficiaries since April in most districts, and even before that in few other districts.
"Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal promised people during the recently-held Talwandi Sabo and Patiala bypolls that the government would increase the old-age pension. They should ensure that the pensioners get their dues in time,” said Shergill. Arrears under this scheme had already touched ` 200 crore, he added.
Shergill also pointed out that the state had not implemented 100% central scholarship scheme for students, and the atta-dal scheme. He said scholarship amounts were not being credited to colleges despite having been received from the Centre.
The Congress spokesman said the SAD- BJP government had played a cruel joke on lakhs of beneficiaries, who had not received pulses for four months under the atta-dal scheme.
Saying that non-implementation of central schemes indicated negligence, he alleged siphoning of f unds by the SAD leadership for private schemes.