Social security pension scheme should not be stopped: Rajasthan CM Gehlot

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], July 11 (ANI): The Rajasthan government is going to increase the ambit of the social security pension scheme to 15 per cent and also bring about a bill in the upcoming assembly session that will not enable any government in future to stop the scheme, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said on Tuesday.
"Social security pension should not be stopped and it will be increased to 15 per cent every year. In the upcoming session of the Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha starting from July 14, we will make a law about this," Ashok Gehlot said.
The beneficiaries under the social security pension scheme includes the elderly, widows, single women and other categories including the disabled.
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot was addressing the beneficiaries of social security pension scheme at the his official residence while making the announcement.
Addressing the beneficiaries, in a jibe aimed at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Gehlot said, "Our single engine government in Rajasthan is doing such work in the country which even the double engine governments are not able to do."
"Many leaders from Delhi come to Rajasthan to talk about their double engine government. However, now one of their engines is failing at many places," Gehlot said, referring to the BJP leaders. "The single engine government is completely safe here," he added.
During the programme, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot transferred the pension amount to the accounts of the beneficiaries online through Direct Benefit Transfer.
The Rajasthan Chief Minister also suggested that the Central Government should implement the Social Security Act at the national level.
"I repeatedly write letters to the Prime Minister that social security act should be implemented across the country. The poor and destitute should be given some amount of assistance every month in the form of social security pension. We are giving social security pension amount to one crore people in Rajasthan," he said.
The Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Tikaram Julie, Cabinet Minister Pratap Singh Khachariawas and Chief Secretary Usha Sharma, along with beneficiaries associated with the scheme were present in this program held at the Chief Minister's residence.
Rajasthan will go to polls at the end of this year. The state is expected to see a fierce battle between the ruling Congress and the BJP at the opposition. The high stake election in the state will set the tone for the crucial Lok Sabha polls next year. (ANI)