Andhra spent over Rs 50,000 cr on social welfare pensions in 18 months: Minister

Andhra Pradesh is leading the way in social welfare spending, with a significant focus on pensions, state Minister Kollu Ravindra has said.

The state has spent Rs 50,763 crore on pensions in the last 18 months, he added.

''Andhra Pradesh is the only state in India that provides a large number of pensions,'' the minister holding the mines and geology and excise portfolios said.

Speaking to the media on Monday, Ravindra said the state government has allocated a substantial budget of Rs 34,000 crore for the NTR Bharosa pension scheme, benefiting 63,25,999 people, as per December figures.

He added that Rs 2,739 crore was distributed in pensions on December 1, while 1,08,000 spouse pensions were sanctioned after the coalition government came to power.

Not a single spouse pension was given during the previous YSRCP government, he claimed.

''Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu personally distributes pensions to the beneficiaries,'' Ravindra said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)