Amaravati, Apr 3 (PTI) The process to disburse welfare pensions to 66 lakh beneficiaries across Andhra Pradesh began on Wednesday, according to officials.

More than 25 lakh beneficiaries received their pensions today, Principal Secretary for Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Sashibhushan Kumar said.

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"District collectors have made all arrangements for the smooth distribution of pensions to all the pensioners from April 3 to 6, 2024," he said in an official statement.

There was a delay in the disbursal of pensions due to the Election Commission restricting the state government from engaging volunteers in the job in view of the Model Code of Conduct being in force for assembly and parliamentary elections in the state.

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The ruling YSR Congress Party in the state and its rivals have accused each other for the hardships faced by pensioners.

Kumar said that the state government has released an amount of Rs 1,952 crore for disbursing the pensions.

According to the principal secretary, 13,699 ward and village secretariats from a total of 14,994 have already begun the exercise of disbursing pensions.

Kumar said that district collectors have been directed to devise an action plan to ensure mandatory doorstep delivery of pensions to the extremely vulnerable categories of beneficiaries, according to the statement.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)