Jharkhand Introduces Universal Pension Scheme

The Jharkhand State Cabinet on Friday, November 12, decided to introduce universal pension scheme by bringing in necessary amendments to pension rules on the recommendation of the women, child development and social security department.

The amendments have been introduced in a centrally sponsored pension scheme under the National Social Assistance Programme and social security pension scheme operated under the state plan.

Who Will Benefit?

After making the amendments to the existing scheme, pension will be available to all eligible people. However, two categories are excluded from the eligibility criteria. A person of 60 years of age, any specially-abled person or widow above the age of 18 years and those entitled to pension under any other category will now be excluded only if the beneficiary or an immediate family member is an income tax payee or if the beneficiary or family member is a permanent employee of the state, Centre or public-sector undertaking, reported The Times of India.

How Is It Different From Other States?

The pension plan of several other states is slightly different. It includes widows and physically challenged people only if they live below the poverty line or are from the scheduled caste or scheduled tribe community.

"There are over 2 million people in the state who are either disabled, widows or senior citizens. The chief minister wants them to get a pension irrespective of their financial, family or caste status. The formal announcement would be made by the chief minister during statehood day, which would make Jharkhand the only state in eastern India to have a universal pension scheme for the disabled, widows and elderly," said a senior official at the CMO in Ranchi.

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