The alliance government in Andhra Pradesh has announced a major welfare update for widow pension seekers in the state. Minister Kondapalli Srinivas declared that the government will soon sanction 2.20 lakh new widow pensions. Guidelines are currently being finalized to disburse a monthly pension of ₹4,000 to eligible women, with the rollout expected within the next one to two months.
Providing an overview of the state’s welfare spending, the Minister noted that Andhra Pradesh currently supports 62.34 lakh social security pensioners, incurring an annual expenditure of ₹33,000 crore. He emphasized that AP stands out as the only state in the country offering such high pension amounts. Furthermore, he highlighted the ‘Spouse Category’ initiative, which instantly transfers pension benefits to a wife upon her husband’s demise, an initiative that has already benefited 2.45 lakh women.
Addressing criticisms from opposition parties regarding pension deletions, Minister Srinivas dismissed the allegations as baseless. He pointed out that while the previous YSRCP government had removed 9.56 lakh pensions, the current administration has only canceled 7,856 ineligible ones strictly according to regulations. He clarified that pensions for disabled individuals and chronically ill patients have not been revoked anywhere in the state.
