Punjab to disburse pension through banks

Chandigarh, Feb 4 (PTI) Punjab government will disbursepension to eligible beneficiaries under various schemesthrough banks from April, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badalsaid today.

A decision to this effect was taken by the Chief Ministerat a meeting to review the status of various social welfareschemes like houses for Scheduled Caste families, disbursementof pension, shagun scheme and toilets in villages, said anofficial release.

The Chief Minister asked the Principal SecretarySocial Security and Women and Child Welfare and SecretaryWelfare for Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes torationalize the procedure for payment of pensions to ensureits timely payment to the beneficiaries under variousschemes like old age, widow, destitute and physicallychallenged without any harassment to them.

Badal also directed Secretary Social Welfare departmentto promptly clear the backlog of Shagun scheme for the year2009-10 and 2010-11 and also asked the Finance department toimmediately release Rs. 108 crore to clear the pending casesof nearly 90,000 beneficiaries positively by March 31.

He also ordered payment of Shagun scheme regularly fromApril 1 onwards to the beneficiaries at the time of theirdaughter''s marriage.

The Chief Minister also approved a sum of Rs 224 croreto be spent on construction of toilets in villages.