Summary:
Bhubaneswar: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday announced a hike of Rs 200 in the monthly pension for elderly citizens under the Madhu Babu Pension Yojana (MBPY) that covers 48 lakh beneficiaries. Social welfare initiatives of the Naveen Patnaik government has been the cornerstone behind his and the BJD’s electoral success. The hike will also be applicable to widows, leprosy and AIDS patients and mentally challenged people irrespective of their age. Unmarried women above 30 years and belonging to a below poverty level family or with individual income below Rs 24,000 per year are also going to benefit from the hike. The decision could put an annual financial burden of Rs 1138 crore on the exchequer.Having already announced sops for farmers, women self-help groups and students in election year, Naveen has now reached out to the elderly, widows, destitute and the differently-abled..