Odisha BJD accuses BJP of breaking pension promises

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Odisha of failing to fulfill election promises regarding old-age pensions. BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty stated that while the BJP's manifesto promised to increase monthly pensions from ₹1,000 to ₹3,500, the government has instead failed to provide regular disbursements.

Reports indicate that approximately 20 lakh beneficiaries under the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme faced delays in receiving payments between March and September. The BJD claims these delays cause significant hardship for elderly citizens who rely on the funds for medicine and daily essentials. Additionally, the party alleges that over 7 lakh applications for inclusion in the beneficiary list remain pending.

In response, Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Minister Nityananda Gondm attributed the delays to technical issues arising from system upgrades and integration with the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS). Government officials stated that the technical problems have been rectified and disbursements have returned to normal, though opposition leaders maintain that irregular payments continue in various parts of the state.