SHILLONG, March 8: The government, on Tuesday, assured that more than 4,000 beneficiaries under National Old Age Pension Scheme (NOAPS) will receive their pension and arrears, once they are registered with the Public Financial Management System (PFMS).
This transpired after the opposition All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) attacked the government on the floor of the Assembly during the ongoing Budget Session.
The government admitted to the flaw pointed out by the AITC, which had stated that 4,493 NOAPS beneficiaries have not received their pension and dues because of not being registered with the PFMS.
PFMS is a platform for e-payment of subsidy under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to both Aadhaar-based and non-Aadhaar-based bank accounts through National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
Replying to a query of Opposition Chief Whip, George B Lyngdoh, C&RD Minister Hamletson Dohling said it is a fact that some NOAPS beneficiaries have not received their pension.
He informed the House that out of the 4,493 affected beneficiaries, 1,177 are from South Garo Hills, 965 from West Jaintia Hills, 876 from West Garo Hills, 654 from Ri-Bhoi, 312 from South West Garo Hills, 200 from South West Khasi Hills, 137 from East Khasi Hills, 119 from West Khasi Hills, 28 from North Garo Hills, 17 from East Garo Hills and eight from East Jaintia Hills. Assuring that the department is ignoring the problem but taking all necessary actions to ensure that the entitlements reach the beneficiaries at the earliest, the C&RD Minister said, “They have not got their pension as they have not registered with PFMS and some of them have provided invalid bank account, incorrect IFSC code and post office account. Yes, we have seen the problem, and I give my assurance that within a month, this problem will be resolved and the 4,493 beneficiaries will get their pension when registered with PFMS.”
He added that the arrears will also be paid.
He informed that the last tranche of pensions disbursed to the beneficiaries of nine districts was in February 2022, but for the remaining two districts — North Garo Hills and West Khasi Hills — it was a month earlier i.e. January 2022.