Gumla district has launched an extensive awareness drive to ensure that more residents benefit from recent revisions to the Chief Minister’s Elderly Pension Scheme. Starting from February 20, camps will be set up in all panchayats across the district to disseminate information about the changes. The state government has lowered the eligibility age for the Chief Minister’s Elderly Pension from 60 to 50 years. The main aim is to extend pension benefits to women of all categories, as well as individuals from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
These camps, scheduled until February 22, aim to reach out to eligible beneficiaries in every panchayat. Furthermore, a mobile awareness van is traversing the district to ensure widespread awareness.
According to Lalan Kumar Rajak, Assistant Director of Social Security in the district, the state government is committed to providing full benefits under the scheme to all eligible beneficiaries aged 50 to 60. Hence, systematic efforts are underway to organize these camps across all panchayats, ensuring that beneficiaries receive their entitlements.
Previously, only individuals aged 60 and above from all sections of society were entitled to a monthly pension of ₹1000 from the government. However, the state government has now expanded the eligibility criteria to include individuals aged 50 and above from women, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes. Applicants aged 50 to 59 from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are required to submit a caste certificate issued by the regional officer through the Tahsildar’s office to avail of the benefits. However, female applicants are exempt from this requirement.
