PMK President Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss has criticized the Tamil Nadu government for delays in providing pensions to 80,000 additional senior citizens and widows. He called on the state to expedite the distribution of these pensions and ensure that new beneficiaries receive their entitled funds without further delay.In a statement, Ramadoss recalled that the government had announced plans to include more beneficiaries under various social security schemes several months ago. Despite this, over 1 lakh eligible senior citizens and widows who applied for pensions are still waiting. Ramadoss condemned the government’s inaction, accusing it of making empty promises instead of delivering the necessary support to those in need.
Drawing a comparison with neighboring Andhra Pradesh, Ramadoss noted that Tamil Nadu offers a pension of Rs 1,200 per month, while Andhra Pradesh provides Rs 3,000 per month, recently increased to Rs 4,000 by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. He pointed out that Andhra Pradesh, despite having a smaller population than Tamil Nadu, has allocated Rs 33,100 crore for social security schemes, benefiting 66.34 lakh people. In contrast, Tamil Nadu allocates only Rs 5,337 crore, benefiting just 34.90 lakh people.
Ramadoss urged the Tamil Nadu government to increase the pension amount and other financial aid to Rs 4,000 per month, aligning with the support provided in Andhra Pradesh. He emphasized the importance of supporting vulnerable populations and called for immediate action to provide pensions to the additional 80,000 senior citizens and widows currently awaiting assistance.