Patna: CM Samrat Choudhary on Saturday transferred Rs 1,237 crore through direct benefit transfer (DBT) to more than 1.08 crore social security pensioners, crediting Rs 1,100 each to their bank accounts at a programme held at the Sankalp auditorium in Lok Sevak Awas.The disbursement was made on Bihar Social Security Pension Day, observed by the state on the 10th of every month. The govt has said pension payments will be credited on the same date each month to ensure timely support for beneficiaries.Deputy chief minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav and social welfare minister Shweta Gupta attended the function. Pension beneficiaries, district magistrates from all districts and eminent persons joined the programme through video conferencing.Addressing the gathering, Samrat asked district magistrates to ensure no eligible person was left out of the social security pension scheme. He said pension distribution must remain time-bound and transparent so that every eligible citizen receives social security benefits with dignity.The CM urged elected representatives to visit villages during constituency tours and verify whether all eligible residents were receiving pensions. He said the campaign should be taken up particularly on Panchayat Vikas Diwas to ensure no eligible citizen was deprived of the benefit. He also called for health surveys to verify whether eligible beneficiaries were receiving their pensions.Samrat said the increase in the monthly pension from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100 had brought changes to people’s lives. He said the state govt was committed to providing social security to poor, deprived and needy sections and would continue to ensure timely and transparent delivery of benefits.He said around 90,000 to one lakh pensioners were being added to the rolls almost every month. In Sept this year, 93,835 new beneficiaries were added to the social security pension list.
