In Haryana, the old age pension scheme has seen a remarkable increase, with beneficiaries now receiving Rs.3,000 per month—a substantial boost compared to many other states. This scheme, which started in 1991 with a pension of Rs.100, has experienced significant growth, particularly since 2014.
Between 1991 and 2014, the pension amount rose from Rs.100 to Rs.1,000 over 23 years, reflecting incremental changes under various governments, including Congress, Haryana Vikas Party, and Indian National Lok Dal. However, under the leadership of the BJP government led by Manohar Lal Khattar and Nayab Singh Saini, the pension amount surged dramatically from Rs.1,000 to Rs.3,000 within just a decade.
The BJP government, with its commitment to the vision of 'Mhara Haryana Nonstop Haryana,' has not only increased the pension but also digitized the entire process. Now, Haryana's elderly automatically receive Rs.3,000 per month starting at age 60 through an efficient online system linked to their family ID.
Pension Amount Increase Timeline:
1991: Rs.1001999: Rs.2002004: Rs.3002009: Rs.500-7002014: Rs.1,0002015: Rs.1,2002016: Rs.1,400-1,6002017: Rs.1,8002020: Rs.2,2502021: Rs.2,5002023: Rs.3,000
Beneficiaries Over the Years:
2017-18: 15,12,4362018-19: 15,69,6162019-20: 17,01,7612020-21: 17,12,934
The number of elderly voters in Haryana is significant, with 10,000 voters over 100 years old and 2,55,000 voters aged 85 or above. In contrast to the Congress government's expenditure on social welfare, which was 0.76% of the total state budget in 2013-14, the BJP government has raised this to 9.25% in 2024-25.