Amaravati, Jul 1 (IANS): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Monday launched the distribution of NTR Bharosa Pension, beginning the implementation of the election promises.

The Chief Minister personally visited a couple of houses in Penumaka village in Mangalagiri constituency in Guntur district on Monday morning and handed over cheques to beneficiaries.

He interacted with the beneficiaries to know their problems. Naidu also drank tea in one of the houses.

Under NTR Bharosa Pension Scheme, monthly social security pensions to the elderly, widows and other beneficiaries have been enhanced to Rs 4,000 from Rs 3,000.

This was one of the election promises made by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and its allies.

After visiting a couple of houses, Naidu addressed a gram sabha at Masjid Centre. He said the new government made a beginning with the distribution of pensions. The TDP chief said that bringing light in the lives of people is the real welfare.

Chandrababu Naidu claimed that his government was following the principle of NTR that society is a temple and people are God.

The Chief Minister said his vision was to see a society free of economic inequalities.

He said that pensions to all beneficiaries will be distributed on Monday (July 1) through 1.25 lakh employees of village and ward secretariats. He directed officials to take help of volunteers in pension distribution.

Minister for Human Resources Development and Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh, who was elected from Mangalagiri constituency, also addressed the gathering. Naidu said they would repay the debt of the people of this constituency, who elected Lokesh with a massive majority of over 90,000 votes.

Over 65.31 lakh beneficiaries across the state will receive pensions on Monday. Beneficiaries of 28 different sections will be receiving the revised pension on Monday, including the arrears for the past three months. The total amount distributed to every beneficiary will be Rs 7,000 (Rs 4,000 monthly pension for June and Rs 3,000 arrears of the past three months).

The old, widows, single women, handloom workers, toddy tappers, fishermen, transgenders and artistes of different kinds will be getting Rs 4,000 as pension, while for the physically challenged, the pension has been revised from Rs 3,000 per month to Rs 6,000. Those 24,318 beneficiaries who have been suffering from serious ailments the pension has been increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000.

The additional burden on the exchequer due to the revision of pension is expected to be more than Rs 819 crore per month while the total amount being distributed as pension per month now amounts to Rs 4,408 crore, which is now being distributed in a single day. The state government will have to bear an extra Rs 1,650 crore to clear the dues for the past three months.