The State Cabinet on Wednesday approved the draft municipal bill to be introduced by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao in the Assembly on Thursday.
Thereafter, both Assembly and Legislative Council would debate the bill.
The marathon Cabinet meeting, presided over by Mr. Rao, decided to supply to beneficiaries proceedings of the hiked social security pensions Assembly constituency-wise on July 20. The government had already decided to hike the pensions for aged persons, widows, beedi workers, toddy-tappers, handloom weavers, single women, elephantiasis-affected persons and AIDS victims from ₹1,000 to ₹2,016 a month. The hike was from ₹1,500 to ₹3,016 for physically challenged persons and aged artists. The hike was made effective from June and payable this month
A release said the Collectors were asked to organise programmes in constituency headquarters to hand over the proceedings of hike to beneficiaries on July 20. Immediately after the programmes, the money would be deposited in bank accounts of beneficiaries. Ministers, MPs, MLAs, MLCs and Zilla Parishad chairpersons would participate in the programmes.
The hike in pensions would entail an additional burden on exchequer to the tune of ₹12,000 crore, of which the State government would bear ₹ 11,800 crore and the Centre ₹ 200 crore.
The Cabinet also approved the election promise of TRS to reduce the age criterion for pensions from 65 years to 57 years for old-age pensioners. It asked the Collectors to enumerate as early as possible persons who crossed 57 years and fulfilled eligibility norms. The cut-off date for holding provident fund accounts to be eligible for beedi workers pensions was lifted.
All those who had the accounts till now were also covered by the benefit.