File image of Manipur social welfare minister Nemcha Kipgen

The funds for old age pensions – Manipur Old Age Pension (MOAP), Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension and for all the newly selected beneficiaries of MOAP received in Go to Village mission will be released through Public Financial Management System(PFMS) – Direct Benefit transfer (DBT).

This was conveyed by the Manipur social welfare minister Nemcha Kipgen through a press release issued by the Directorate of Information and Public Relations on Friday.

It may noted that Go to Village mission was launched throughout Manipur in 60 villages of all the 60 Assembly constituencies in May 2018 to ensure physical involvement of government officials to identify and reach out to the deserving beneficiaries in the villages.

In the release, the state social welfare minister Kipgen stated that funds for most of the governmental schemes of the department are now given through DBT with an aim to avoid any misappropriation of funds by any third party and to directly reach the beneficiaries in their bank accounts.

Minister further informed that sometimes pending in payments of the pension amount may arise due to incorrect bank account number and Aadhaar not seeded with respective bank account.

In view of the prevailing lockdown situation to contain and combat the COVID-19 pandemic, the minister who is the sitting MLA of Kangpokpi assembly constituency appealed all to follow orderly disbursal of pension amount while maintaining social distancing and avoiding overcrowding in banks and ATMs to ensure safety for all.

It may mentioned that the state chief minister N Biren Singh in a public appeal on Thursday informed that around 20 crore women who are Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) account holders will get Rs 500 per month for next three months.

PMJDY was launched in 2014 to provide a bank account to every poor to expand and make affordable access to financial services.