Shimla, April 24
The Himachal Pradesh government has sanctioned over 99,000 new social security pension cases in the past three years, taking the total number of beneficiaries to more than 8.4 lakh, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Thursday.
The beneficiaries include senior citizens, widows, single women, and persons with disabilities covered under various welfare schemes. According to the government, 41,799 cases were approved in 2023, 24, 41,012 in 2024, 25, and 16,988 in 2025, 26.
Sukhu said the government has amended social security pension rules to ensure timely disbursement and simplify access. He noted that the removal of the income ceiling and the requirement of gram sabha approval for widowed, deserted and single women, as well as for persons with 40 to 69 percent disability, has reduced procedural hurdles.
The Chief Minister said the government remains committed to supporting vulnerable sections. A monthly pension of Rs 1,500 is being provided to over 2.67 lakh women under a dedicated scheme.
He added that the pension for persons with 100 percent disability has been increased from Rs 1,700 to Rs 3,000 per month, benefiting around 7,000 individuals.
The government said the measures are aimed at expanding social security coverage and ensuring that welfare benefits reach those in need more efficiently.
