Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government will distribute two months’ welfare pension as an Onam gift to social security and welfare fund beneficiaries. Finance Minister K N Balagopal announced that ₹1,679 crore has been sanctioned for the payment, benefiting nearly 62 lakh people who will each receive ₹3,200. The package includes the August pension along with one pending instalment of arrears from July.

Distribution will begin on Saturday, with 26.62 lakh beneficiaries receiving funds directly in their bank accounts. Others will get the amount delivered to their homes via cooperative banks. For 8.46 lakh people, the Centre’s share under the National Pension Scheme will be disbursed through the PFMS system. The state has advanced ₹48.42 crore towards this share.

There are five kinds of social welfare pensions in Kerala: Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension, Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension, Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension, Pension for Unmarried Women above 50 years and Agriculture Labour Pension. In addition to these, there are 16 welfare board pensions. The Centre extends support only to three of these: the National Old Age Pension, the National Widow Pension, and the National Disability Pension.

For instance, Kerala pays ₹1600 as old age pension till the age of 79. In this, the Centre's share is ₹200. For pensioners above 80, the Centre's share is ₹500. For handicapped and widow pensioners, the Centre's share is ₹300 out of the total ₹1,600.