SW & SE Minister explains pension delay, Assures release of pending dues this week

Social Welfare and Social Education Minister Tinku Roy on Friday sought to reassure beneficiaries after delays in the disbursement of social pensions under Central Government schemes, confirming that pending dues for April, May and June will be credited within this week.

Roy clarified that of the 34 pension schemes administered by the department, all 30 State-funded schemes continue to be disbursed on schedule during the first week of every month. The disruption has affected only the Central Government-funded schemes, including old-age, widow, disability pensions, and benefits for Antyodaya/BPL households.

Explaining the cause, the Minister said the delay stemmed from the introduction of the SNS-POS payment system by the Centre. Under the earlier mechanism, the Central Government transferred its share to the State, which then added its contribution to make up the monthly pension of Rs 2,000 before releasing it to beneficiaries. 

Now, under SNS-POS, the Centre directly credits its share into beneficiaries’ bank accounts, while the State transfers its portion separately. Synchronising these two streams has taken time, resulting in the backlog.

Roy noted that the department has already conducted a successful trial run with around 100 beneficiaries, and details of the remaining recipients have been forwarded to the Centre for processing. 

He added that beneficiaries are expected to receive two months’ pension together during this week, and assured that the department is working to ensure smooth and timely disbursement under the new system in the coming months.

Officials emphasized that while the transition has caused temporary hardship, the new mechanism is designed to improve transparency and efficiency in pension delivery. The Minister’s assurance is expected to bring relief to thousands of pensioners awaiting their dues.