In a big development, the Jharkhand government has decided to reduce the qualifying age for old-age pension from 60 to 50 years. This was announced by Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday. He said that tribals and Dalits in the state will be eligible for pension benefits on reaching the age of 50 years.
Soren made the announcement while addressing a function on Ranchi's Morabadi ground organised to mark the completion of four years of the JMM-led government in the state. In addition, he also stated that his government would reserve 75 per cent of the jobs for locals in companies that set up offices in the state.
What did CM Soren say?
"The government has decided to provide pension benefits to tribals and Dalits on reaching the age of 50 years. The death rate among them is high and they do not get jobs after 60 years," he reasoned.
The Chief Minister further claimed that only 16 lakh people had received pension benefits in the 20 years after the formation of Jharkhand in 2000 but his government has provided pension to 36 lakh people, mostly those aged above 60 years.
"In four years of our government, we have given pension benefits to 36 lakh people above 60 years of age, widows above 18 years of age and also physically challenged persons..." he added. Soren also emphasised that his government was relentlessly working for the welfare of the people and a large number of schemes were being implemented for the first time, including his government's outreach programme 'Aapki Yojna, Aapki Sarkar, Aaapke Dwar' delivering benefits of the government schemes to villagers at their doorsteps.
Soren holds previous govts responsible for state’s ‘backwardness’
Last week, the Chief Minister also held the BJP-led previous government for the state’s backwardness. Hitting out at the saffron party, he alleged those who had opposed the movement for a separate Jharkhand state grabbed the power and looted it for 20 years. Addressing a public meeting in Dhanbad on December 22, he said that Jharkhand was rich when it became a separate state and had a surplus budget. "But people who were in power till 2019 looted the state’s treasury in the name of development and made Jharkhand sick in 19 years," he added.
(With PTI inputs)
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