The Karnataka government has increased the annual income limit for social security pensions to ₹1.2 lakh from ₹32,000. This decision aims to benefit over 20 lakh residents who were previously excluded. The change follows a state-wide verification drive that had flagged millions of accounts as doubtful, leading to temporary pension suspensions for over 18 lakh beneficiaries.
The Karnataka Revenue Department has formally raised the annual income ceiling for various social security pension schemes, including those for old-age, widow, and disability benefits. Individuals with an annual income of up to ₹1.2 lakh are now eligible for these government support programs. This policy update replaces the previous, long-standing limit of ₹32,000, which had been a point of contention for many families seeking state assistance.
Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara confirmed the decision, stating that the move is designed to address long-pending public grievances regarding eligibility. By increasing the income cap, the state aims to bring a significantly larger segment of the population under its social security coverage.
Verification Drive and Pension Suspensions
This policy change comes alongside a comprehensive data verification process undertaken by the state. Using the 'Kutumba' family database, the government had previously identified 23.14 lakh beneficiaries as 'doubtful' cases. The state government initiated a large-scale review to verify the authenticity of these claims, as there were concerns regarding inaccurate documentation, incorrect addresses, or missing income certificates.
During this verification exercise, the state temporarily suspended pension payments for approximately 18.06 lakh individuals. Village Administrative Officers and Tahsildars were tasked with conducting physical verifications to determine true eligibility, utilizing the 'Samyojane' mobile application to process these cases.
Reinstating Eligible Beneficiaries
Following the recent policy revision, the Revenue Department has directed officials to continue pension disbursements for eligible individuals whose annual income falls between ₹32,000 and ₹1.2 lakh, provided they meet all other necessary criteria. This step is intended to ensure that genuine beneficiaries, who were flagged during the automated data matching process, are not deprived of their financial support once their eligibility is confirmed.
The implementation of this decision requires continued administrative effort at the local level. The primary monitorable for residents and local authorities will be the completion of the document verification process for those whose pensions were previously put on hold. Officials have been instructed to expedite these reviews to ensure that funds reach the eligible households without further delays.