Kullu: Himachal Pradesh has added 99,799 new social security pension beneficiaries over the past three years, taking the total to 8.42 lakh, chief minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu said on Thursday.
The beneficiaries include senior citizens, widows, single women and persons with disabilities across various schemes. Of the total, 5.04 lakh are under the state old-age pension, 1.04 lakh under the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension, 1.26 lakh widows, destitute and single women, and 78,291 under disability relief allowance.
The govt approved 41,799 new cases in 2023-24, 41,012 in 2024-25 and 16,988 in 2025-26. Amendments have also been cleared to ensure timely disbursal of pensions.
A monthly pension of ₹1,500 is being provided to 2.67 lakh women up to 69 years of age. The state also has 1,021 beneficiaries under leprosy rehabilitation allowance and 50 transgender pensioners.
Sukhu said pension for persons with 100% disability will be increased from ₹1,700 to ₹3,000 per month, benefiting around 7,000 people. He added that removing the income ceiling and gram sabha approval for certain categories has simplified access and reduced procedural hurdles.
