Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal on Thursday told the Assembly that the state government was yet to pay welfare pension for five months and asked the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) to support them to demand the Center's dues.
Balagopal, while rejecting the UDF's demand to postpone the House process and discuss the issue of pending social pensions, said the dues will be cleared soon and the disbursement for the month of June has begun.
Moving the motion, MLA PC Vishnunath, said the government says there is no fund to pay welfare pension, but there are sufficient funds for extravagances like Nava Kerala Sadas and other matters.
In his reply, the minister said that currently around Rs 900 crore per month is being disbursed as welfare pensions in the state.
"We have already discussed the same issue in the last session. We all know about the financial strangulation by the central government. In the last three months, four social pension payments have been disbursed. Rs 8,000 have been given to each of the around 60 million beneficiaries," Balagopal told the House.
He said the Left government has given pensions for 109 months in the last 96 months, which includes the amount pending from the previous Congress-led UDF government.
Balagopal said the UDF had stayed away from the Left government's demand for a joint protest against the alleged financial strangulations of the Union government, citing the Lok Sabha elections.
"Now that the elections are over and you (UDF) have won, we would like to know if you are willing to fight for state rights," Balagopal asked.
He was referring to IUML leader and MLA P K Kunhalikutty's earlier statement that the UDF would stay away from the protest due to the Lok Sabha elections.
Based on the explanation given by Balagopal, the president denied permission for the opposition's adjournment motion.
To protest against the denial of permission to suspend the House session, the opposition organized a strike.
Opposition leader V D Satheesan said the Left government had misled the people by claiming that they would increase the welfare pension from Rs 1,600 to Rs 2,500.
"Not only have you (Left government) not given pension for the last six months, but you have also misled people by claiming that the pension will be increased to Rs 2,500," he said.
Satheesan said the state government does not have enough money to pay pensions.
"We will continue to raise our voice for the poor and oppressed in society. We will continue to fight against the government, which is not prioritizing people and pensions," he added.
Balagopal, while rejecting the UDF's demand to postpone the House process and discuss the issue of pending social pensions, said the dues will be cleared soon and the disbursement for the month of June has begun.
Moving the motion, MLA PC Vishnunath, said the government says there is no fund to pay welfare pension, but there are sufficient funds for extravagances like Nava Kerala Sadas and other matters.
In his reply, the minister said that currently around Rs 900 crore per month is being disbursed as welfare pensions in the state.
"We have already discussed the same issue in the last session. We all know about the financial strangulation by the central government. In the last three months, four social pension payments have been disbursed. Rs 8,000 have been given to each of the around 60 million beneficiaries," Balagopal told the House.
He said the Left government has given pensions for 109 months in the last 96 months, which includes the amount pending from the previous Congress-led UDF government.
Balagopal said the UDF had stayed away from the Left government's demand for a joint protest against the alleged financial strangulations of the Union government, citing the Lok Sabha elections.
"Now that the elections are over and you (UDF) have won, we would like to know if you are willing to fight for state rights," Balagopal asked.
He was referring to IUML leader and MLA P K Kunhalikutty's earlier statement that the UDF would stay away from the protest due to the Lok Sabha elections.
Based on the explanation given by Balagopal, the president denied permission for the opposition's adjournment motion.
To protest against the denial of permission to suspend the House session, the opposition organized a strike.
Opposition leader V D Satheesan said the Left government had misled the people by claiming that they would increase the welfare pension from Rs 1,600 to Rs 2,500.
"Not only have you (Left government) not given pension for the last six months, but you have also misled people by claiming that the pension will be increased to Rs 2,500," he said.
Satheesan said the state government does not have enough money to pay pensions.
"We will continue to raise our voice for the poor and oppressed in society. We will continue to fight against the government, which is not prioritizing people and pensions," he added.
