Old-age pension even if one has sons as heirs

Chennai, Jun 5 (UNI) In a gesture of goodwill, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today ordered grant of old-age pension, even if the beneficiaries had sons as legal heirs.

Old-age pension was hitherto denied to those, who had sons as legal heirs and only those who had daughters as their legal heirs were given the assistance.

Apparently realising that sons do not take care of their aged parents, Mr Karunanidhi ordered payment of pension, whether they had sons or daughters as legal heirs, an official release here said.

The announcement comes a day after a aged couple committed suicide after their two sons refused to take care of them in the city.

When one of the sons said he would take care of the mother and the father should go to his brother's place,the couple, unwilling to be separated, committed self- immolation.

Under the old-age pension scheme, people who were 65 years and above were given a monthly pension of Rs 400. The pension amount was Rs 200 and the DMK Government after coming to power in 2006, had doubled the amount.

UNI WS KVV RL ND1959