In a significant political move, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has mobilized his entire cabinet, legislators, and senior party leaders for a massive statewide pension distribution campaign scheduled for Monday. The initiative aims to transform an administrative exercise into a comprehensive public outreach program.
Largest Direct Benefit Transfer Program in India
During an extensive teleconference held on Sunday evening, Naidu highlighted the scale of Andhra Pradesh's social security pension scheme, which he described as the country's largest Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) program. The Chief Minister revealed staggering figures to underscore the program's impact.
Every month, on the first day itself, pensions ranging from ₹4,000 to ₹15,000 reach beneficiaries directly, ensuring timely financial support to vulnerable sections. The annual benefits break down as follows: elderly citizens receive ₹48,000, dialysis patients get ₹1.20 lakh, and completely bed-ridden persons are provided with ₹1.80 lakh annually.
Naidu emphasized that no other Indian state provides assistance on this scale, with the government having already disbursed ₹50,763 crore solely on pensions during the last 17 months. The Chief Minister personally participates in the distribution drive each month to monitor beneficiary satisfaction.
Political Outreach Meets Welfare Delivery
The teleconference revealed the government's strategy of combining welfare delivery with political messaging. Naidu instructed party workers to take the coalition government's achievements door-to-door during the pension distribution program.
Stressing the importance of this dual approach, the TDP supremo told party cadres, "Explain these achievements to the people. If we do that sincerely, no one will vote for the opposition alliance." He declared that "political governance" serves as the guiding principle for the coalition government.
Naidu urged leaders to remain integrated with the masses and transform pension distribution from a mere administrative task into a celebration of the coalition's pro-poor governance.
December Action Plan and Future Initiatives
The Chief Minister unveiled a packed schedule for December, including:
- Workshops at Rythu Seva Kendras on December 3 to create farmer awareness
- A mega parent-teacher meeting statewide on December 5 with mandatory party representative presence
- Imminent launch of a Family Benefit Management System for joint families
- Promise of 500,000 additional houses for the poor by Ugadi next year
Naidu accused the previous YSRC regime of diverting housing funds and stopping NREGS payments due to political vendetta. "We persuaded the Centre and got all pending NREGS bills cleared," he stated while reiterating that welfare schemes would reach every eligible citizen regardless of political affiliation.
The Chief Minister warned that ineligible persons drawing pensions would be identified and removed from the system, while assuring that no deserving beneficiary would face injustice.
Recognizing the party's organizational strength, Naidu highlighted the robust network of 1.2 million family empowerment volunteers and 46,000 booths, calling for complete coordination to carry the government's message to every household in the coming month. He acknowledged that dedicated activists are being honored with nominated posts for their sacrifices to the party.
