Keonjhar- Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday launched the enhanced social security pension scheme and distributed the allowances to elderly and disabled persons.
Senior citizens aged 80 years and above, along with beneficiaries with 80% or more disabilities, will now receive a monthly pension of ₹3,500, up from the previous ₹1,200. The increase of ₹2,300, benefiting 4,17,496 people across the state, was officially launched by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in Keonjhar on Wednesday.
Speaking at a state-level event at Dharanidhar University ground, the Chief Minister emphasized the importance of creating an inclusive and empathetic society. “Senior citizens are the temple of our faith and trust. Their happiness and unwavering faith in the youth are our treasured assets,” he said.
Highlighting the significance of the initiative, the Chief Minister the hiked pension is a step towards ensuring dignity and financial security for our elderly and disabled population.
“We have launched the scheme in Keonjhar today and it will soon be introduced in every district,” Majhi said.
The new pension scheme applies to beneficiaries of the National Social Welfare Program and the Madhu Babu Pension Yojana (MBPY), including 9,913 people from Keonjhar district
In his address, the Chief Minister outlined other government initiatives, including the recent agreement to implement Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, ensuring better healthcare for the poor. He announced plans to establish a mega steel plant in Keonjhar, with an agreement to be signed later this month as part of the Utkarsha Odisha program.
The event witnessed the distribution of enhanced pensions and allowances to beneficiaries such as Rakhyakar Jena, Jogendra Nayak, and Rajani Mohanty for old-age pensions, and Satyabhama Sethi, Anirudh Das, and Jayakrishna Mahanta for disabled allowances.
