Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao has launched the pension scheme ‘Aasara’ for the old people, widows and the handicapped. While widows and the old people get a monthly pension of Rs 1,000, the handicapped will get Rs 1,500.

“We will spend Rs 4,000 crore on the scheme annually,” the Chief Minister, addressing the gathering after launching the scheme at Kothur in Mahaboobnagar district on Saturday.

He said the Telugu Desam and Congress Governments had allocated Rs 72 crore and Rs 730 crore respectively for the scheme, hardly sufficient for reaching out to all the beneficiaries.

However, the State Government was facing criticism for denying pension eligibility for scores of people. Those who were getting pensions earlier were kept out of the list this time, triggering protests in different parts of the State.

The Government, however, argues that it is in the process of weeding out only ineligible persons and that no one eligible person will be denied pension.

The Chief Minister said the power shortage would continue for three more years as the difference between the demand and supply was quite huge. “We will improve the situation next year so that we can supply enough power to the agricultural sector. In phases, we will increase the capacity and availability and make the State self-sufficient in the power sector,” the Chief Minister said.

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