Kerala: Finance department allocates Rs 900 crore for welfare pension

The finance department has allocated Rs 900 crore to pay one month's welfare pension arrears. The finance minister KN Balagopal announced that one month of the four months' arrears would be paid on Wednesday.

Thiruvananthapuram: The finance department has allocated Rs 900 crore to pay one month's welfare pension arrears. The finance department informed that the distribution will start from Monday. The finance minister KN Balagopal announced that one month of the four months' arrears would be paid on Wednesday.

KN Balagopal expressed concerns over the financial strain faced by Kerala, emphasizing that the Centre owes the state a significant amount. Balagopal highlighted that an outstanding sum of Rs 54,000 crore is pending from the Central government, contributing to the economic challenges being faced by the state. He stressed the urgency of receiving this amount to alleviate the financial pressure on Kerala.

The finance minister stated that the current economic crisis in Kerala is rooted in the delay in receiving the rightful dues from the Centre. He urged the central government to fulfill its financial commitments to the state, stating that it is a matter of courtesy and essential for the overall well-being of Kerala.

Meanwhile, many people reacted to the delay in welfare pensions over the past few months. Raju, a 58-year-old differently-abled man, is living with his mother, Chachi in Kottayam. This mother is always sad for her son who has to depend on her for everything, even at this age. In a poverty-stricken home, the only source of income for this mother and son is a welfare pension of Rs 1600 from the government. However, the pension has not been provided to the family for the past 4 months. They are not even getting the basic needs they need to survive.

This is the first time that the welfare pension has been suspended for such a long time. The government earlier announced that the welfare pension would be paid every month. After a lot of complaints, the dues were cleared during Onam.