Uttar Pradesh government launched Samajwadi pension scheme

Uttar Pradesh Government launched the Samajwadi Pension Yojana on 28 January 2014. The new pension yojana will replace the existing Rani Laxmibai Pension Yojana in phased manner. The Scheme is expected to benefit about 40 lakh rural families living below poverty line.

The main features of the new Pension Yojana

• It provides for a monthly pension of 500 rupees to each rural family for the year 2014-15.
• The pension amount would be raised gradually by 50 rupee in the subsequent financial years provided certain conditions are fulfilled.
• The maximum pension limit will be Rs. 750 per month.
• The selection of the families to be benefited would be done at the gram panchayat level.

Conditions for pension hike of 50 rupee

• Compulsory education for children in the age group of 6 to 14 years with at least 70 per cent attendance in school
• Making adult members in the family literate
• Immunisation and regular health check up of children

Ineligible families for pension under the new scheme

• Families whose members are getting any other pension such as the Old Age Pension
• Owns a motorized vehicle
• Income tax payee
• Government employee
• Employee in a private firm

About Rani Laxmibai Pension Yojana

The Rani Laxmibai Pension Yojana, was launched in 2013-14 by the UP government. Under the Rani Laxmibai Pension Yojana each beneficiaries was entitled for 400 rupee per month. The pension was deposited directly into the bank account of beneficiaries in two six-monthly instalments.

The primary beneficiary under the scheme was woman head of the family and in absence of such a condition only a man would be chosen the beneficiary.

The scheme was for the below poverty line (BPL) families who have been left out of the BPL lists and are unable to get the benefits of the BPL ration Cards, Antodyaya Yojna or any other pension scheme meant for them.

The base line for getting the benefits under the Scheme was five member family whose annual income is 19884 rupees in rural areas and 25546 rupees in the urban areas.

The Scheme was targeted to benefit 50% SC and ST beneficiaries.