Kolkata, 07 September (H.S.): The West Bengal government has scrapped all waiting lists prepared under the previous government for old-age, widow and disability allowances, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced on Monday. Eligible beneficiaries will now have to apply afresh to avail themselves of the benefits.

Addressing a programme from the Nabanna auditorium, Adhikari said two-day public welfare camps would be organised at the gram panchayat and ward levels, where fresh applications would be accepted. After verification, eligible applicants would be brought under the respective schemes.

He said people who had been waiting for old-age pensions for a long time, including those allegedly deprived of benefits for political or other reasons, would be considered on the basis of fresh applications.

The Chief Minister said applications already submitted at the government's public welfare camps would also be verified. Applicants who had applied through the ‘Aponar Sarkar Aponar Pashe’ initiative would also be considered on priority after verification. A fresh waiting list of eligible beneficiaries will subsequently be prepared.

Meanwhile, the government has increased the monthly assistance under three social security schemes by Rs 500. The old-age allowance, widow or destitute women’s allowance and disability allowance have been increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per month.

Adhikari said beneficiaries who were receiving Rs 1,000 until July had been paid the revised amount of Rs 1,500 as the allowance for August.

The Chief Minister said the government's priority was to ensure that benefits of welfare schemes reached only eligible beneficiaries. Expressing concern over fake beneficiaries, he said no government assistance should be credited to the accounts of ineligible persons.

He claimed that some people were availing themselves of old-age allowances by allegedly manipulating their age or using fake birth certificates. Adhikari appealed to those receiving allowances despite being ineligible to voluntarily come forward and surrender the benefits.

For widows aged between 25 and 60 years, the Chief Minister suggested an alternative. He said such beneficiaries could opt out of the widow allowance and instead avail themselves of the Rs 3,000 Annapurna scheme, which would provide them with higher monthly assistance.

The government has also announced an additional benefit for women with disabilities in the 25-60 age group. According to Adhikari, they will receive the Rs 1,500 disability allowance along with Rs 3,000 under the Annapurna scheme, taking their total monthly assistance to Rs 4,500.

Adhikari also announced that special programmes would be organised across the state for a month beginning September 17, the birth anniversary of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Annapurna scheme assistance is also scheduled to be credited to beneficiaries' accounts on the same day, which will be observed as ‘Annapurna Day’ across the state.

Referring to the state's financial condition, the Chief Minister said the state was facing financial challenges due to the economic policies of previous governments and alleged irregularities in revenue collection. Despite the situation, he said, the government had decided to enhance benefits under the social security schemes.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh