Yogi Govt Approves Pension Hike to ₹1,500 for Over 1.21 Crore Beneficiaries
The Uttar Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, is preparing to enhance the monthly social security pension for the elderly, destitute women, and persons with disabilities from ₹1,000 to ₹1,500. Having secured preliminary in-principle administrative clearance, the policy proposal will soon be placed before the state Cabinet for formal ratification. To support the expanded welfare payouts, the required budgetary provisions will be allocated through the state's second supplementary budget, scheduled to be tabled in the legislative assembly in December. The fiscal enhancement marks another major welfare intervention following recent upward revisions in honorariums granted to school cooks, Anganwadi workers, and auxiliary health assistants across the state.
Annual Payout Rises to ₹18,000: Breakdown Across 1.21 Crore Registered Beneficiaries
Under the proposed enhancement, financial disbursements under the revised rates are slated to roll out starting in the third quarter of the current financial year. Eligible beneficiaries will receive an annual financial assistance package of ₹18,000 instead of the existing ₹12,000, translating to a direct yearly increase of ₹6,000 per recipient. The welfare expansion will extend across more than 12.1 million (1.21 crore) economically vulnerable citizens across Uttar Pradesh. Official data indicates that the state currently supports over 6.7 million (67 lakh) beneficiaries under the Old Age Pension Scheme, over 4.2 million (42 lakh) recipients under the Destitute Women Pension Scheme, and more than 1.2 million (12 lakh) individuals under the Disabled Pension Scheme. This initiative represents the second major social security revision under the Yogi Adityanath administration, following the 2017 decision that doubled welfare pensions from ₹500 to ₹1,000 per month.
Pre-Election Welfare Push and 1 Lakh Appointment Letters for Youth
The pension hike comes amid an intensive outreach campaign by the state government aimed at extending financial relief to diverse demographic segments ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. Alongside targeted social security revisions for rural workers and marginalized households, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has initiated a major recruitment and credential distribution drive for the state's youth. The Chief Minister announced that one lakh young candidates across Uttar Pradesh will be awarded formal government appointment letters within the next six months. Combining accelerated public employment drives with an expanded social safety net, the administration is focusing on grassroots economic assistance across the state's welfare landscape.
