Rs 316 cr for payment of monthly aid to persons

: the Puducherry government has enhanced the monthly assistance to aged persons under 'Old Age Pension' scheme from Rs 1100 to a higher level depending upon the age of beneficiaries.
As much as Rs 316.26 crore has been earmarked for fiscal 2015-2016 to implement the OAP here, Chief Minister N Rangasamy said after handing over the enhanced assistance to aged persons here today.
Rangasamy said government has decided to enhance the assistance from Rs 1100 to 1500 a month if the beneficiary comes under the age bracket of 55 to 59 years.
If the beneficiary is in the age category of 60 to 79 years the monthly assistance would be Rs 2000 instead of Rs 1100 available all these years. A sum of Rs 3000 would be available under the scheme to the beneficiaries who have turned 80 years.

He said 1,23,147 persons are covered under the scheme, distributed under 'Direct benefit transfer' system through their bank accounts. If they could not turn up at banks due to ge or poor health, the money would be handed over personally.
Rangasamy said the government had spent Rs 200 crore last year under the payment of pension to the aged people. Now with the rise in the quantum of assistance, the expenditure would increase to Rs 316.26 crore.
Speaker V Sabapathy was among those present.