Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister Danasari Anasuya (Seethakka). File
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister Danasari Anasuya (Seethakka) said that there had been no arbitrary deletions and that ineligible beneficiaries under the Cheyutha pension scheme, including deceased persons and duplicate recipients, were removed after verification.
She said that nearly one lakh new pensions had been sanctioned since the government assumed office, including for dialysis and AIDS patients, and proposals were in place to add two lakh more beneficiaries next year.
Replying to the debate on the Demands for Grants, Minister Seethakka defended the government’s record, outlining allocations, expenditure and programme implementation across rural sectors.
The Legislative Assembly unanimously approved the budget demands for the Panchayat Raj, Rural Development, Rural Water Supply, and Women and Child Welfare departments on Saturday (March 28, 2026), following an extensive discussion marked by sharp exchanges between the Treasury benches and the Opposition.
The State was spending ₹932 crore per month, amounting to ₹11,176 crore annually, on pensions for about 42 lakh beneficiaries,” she said. In contrast, the Centre’s contribution was ₹249 crore for approximately 6.8 lakh beneficiaries, accounting for just over 2% of the total burden, she added.
Ms. Seethakka said that over ₹1,011 crore had been spent on Gram Panchayats in the last two years and ₹1,329 crore over three years, asserting that the funds were utilised for improving basic amenities and creating individual and community assets. She added that more than one lakh works, estimated at ₹2,199 crore, had been initiated through work fairs with public participation.
The Minister also criticised the Opposition, particularly the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), for staging a walkout and making what she termed “sweeping allegations” without substantiation.
Taking on the Centre, she alleged that the Central Government was weakening the employment guarantee programme and not providing adequate financial support.
On welfare schemes, the Minister refuted claims of delays in disbursal under the Kalyana Lakshmi scheme. Over 1.53 lakh applications had been received, and payments were being made on time, she said, attributing isolated delays to technical issues.
Published – March 28, 2026 05:05 pm IST
