By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, December 12, 2018: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday announced to bring five lakhs more people under the Madhu Babu Pension Yojana (MBPY) – a social security pension scheme launched by the state government.

With this the total number of beneficiaries will go up to 48 lakhs.

More than 40,000 artists will also receive monthly pension of Rs 1200 under the Mukhyamantri Kalakara Yojana from December 15, the chief minister announced.

The chief minister directed the district collectors through video conference to distribute the pension amounts to the beneficiaries by organizing special camps from 15th to 20th of every month. He also asked the district collectors to ensure that not a single eligible person should be excluded from Madhu Babu pension scheme.

In Jnuary 2008, the state government launched the MBPY by merging two pension schemes—Old age pension and Odisha disability pension scheme. The beneficiaries receive Rs 300 per month after attaining 60 years up to 79 years and Rs 500 per month for 80 years and above. The scheme also extends benefits to widows, leprosy and AIDS patients.

Unmarried women above 30 years belonging to a BPL family or has individual income below Rs 24,00 per annum are also eligible under the scheme.

The decision would have an additional financial burden of Rs 60 crore for four months (December-March) of the current 2018-19 financial year, said an official source.

“My government has always emphasized on social security of downtrodden people. The main goal of my government is to bring smile in everyone’s face and to help them to lead a dignified life,” said Naveen.

Special camps will be organized as part of the People’s empowerment– enabling transparency and accountability of Odisha Initiative (PEETHA) aimed at creating awareness about various schemes of the state government and improve transparency in distribution of individual and social benefits.

As the PEETHA programme is scheduled to start from December 15, the chief minister directed the district collectors to take steps to create massive awareness among rural people about the programme.

The state government plans to take the administration to the grassroots through the PEETHA initiative as awareness camps will be created on various government schemes at panchayat levels. Various social security benefits will also be distributed in these camps.