NTR Bharosa – New Pensioner Scheme For Andhra Pradesh

NTR Bharosa Pension Scheme Overview

Andhra Pradesh is one state which has been dealing with poverty from quite some time and its government is doing its best to tackle the poverty and to improve the living status of the poor people. Also, the Andhra Pradesh government is dedicated to provide a dignified life to all the poor and helpless people who have no resources for their living. Many of its citizens are struggling to meet the basic and daily needs and are thus finding it difficult to live a dignified and contented life.

In order to help the old people and to provide them with a dignified life, government of Andhra Pradesh launched NTR Bharosa Pension Scheme, which is also known as Vrudhapya Pension and covers the following types of pensions for the most needy and vulnerable people, especially those who are old:

1. Old Age Pension
2. Weavers Pension
3. Widow Pension
4. Disabled Pension
5. Toddy Tappers
6. ART Pension
7. Transgender Pension
8. Fisherman Pension
9. Single Women Pension
10. CKDU Pension

Launched on 19th June 2014 by the Ministry of Rural Development, NTR Bharosa Pension scheme has following objectives:

• Financial assistance to weaker section: One of the main objectives behind the launch of NTR Bharosa Pension Scheme was to provide financial assistance to those who belong to weaker and vulnerable section of the society. As per the eligibility criteria, they are provided with a monthly pension and with its help they can start living a better life.
• Better options of survival: It is a given fact that with financial assistance and monetary security, one can opt for better options of survival and that is what the objective of NTR Bharosa Pension Scheme.
• To increase self-independence: As its key feature, NTR Bharosa Pension Scheme works around providing a fixed amount to the poor and old section of the society, it is dedicated to make them self-dependent so that they can live a self-sustainable life.

Key Features of NTR Bharosa Pensions:

NTR Bharosa Pension Scheme has following key features:

• It covers total 10 types of pensions provided by the Andhra Pradesh Government.
• As per the eligibility criteria, it gives the financial assistance ranging from Rs 1000 to Rs 2500 per month.
• The financial assistance is provided on monthly basis.
• It is valid only for those who fall below the poverty line and are BPL Card Holders of the state.

Eligibility Criteria for NTR Bharosa Pension:

NTR Bharosa Pension Scheme covers total of 10 pensions and each of it has its own eligibility criteria, however the general criteria for availing NTR Bharosa Pension Scheme are as below:

1. You must belong to the BPL family holding white ration card.
2. You must be a local resident of the state and have its domicile.
3. You are not covered under any other Pension scheme.

Apart from the above mentioned eligibility criteria, below is the eligibility criteria for each type of pension covered under NTR Bharosa Pension Scheme:

• Old Age Pension: For availing Old Age Pension, one must conform to the following criteria:
  • 65 years of age or above, for both male and female.
  • Having little or no means of subsistence.
  • No family or relative to depend upon.
  • Allocated amount is Rs 1000 per month.
• Weavers Pension: For availing Weavers Pension, one must conform to the following criteria:
  • 50 years of age or above, for both male and female.
  • Having little or no means of subsistence.
  • Allocated amount is Rs 1000 per month.
• Widow Pension: If the proposed beneficiary is of 18 years of age or more, as per the Marriage Act. Allocated amount is Rs 1000 per month.
• Disabled Pension: There is no age-limit for availing the disabled pension. However, he or she must be having a minimum of 40% disability. Allocated amount is Rs 1000 per month.
• Toddy Tappers: For availing Toddy Tappers Pension, one must conform to the following criteria:
  • 50 years of age or above.
  • Members of Toddy Co-operative Societies (TCS) or to an individual tapper under the Tree for Tappers (TFT) scheme and who have completed 50 years of age as on 1st Feb 2009.
  • Allocated amount is Rs 1000 per month.
• ART Pension – Antiretroviral Therapy Pension: For availing ART Pension, one must conform to the following criteria:
  • There is no age limit for availing the ART Pension.
  • One must be undergoing 6 months continuous treatment on ART.
  • One is eligible to avail the ART Pension even if he or she is already covered in any category of Social Security Pension Scheme.
  • Allocated amount is Rs 1500 per month.
• Transgender Pension- If the proposed beneficiary is of 18 years of age or above. Allocated amount is Rs 1000 per month.
• Fisherman Pension- If the proposed beneficiary is of 50 years of age or above. Allocated amount is Rs 1000 per month.
• Single Women Pension- For availing Single Women Pension, one must conform to the following criteria:
  • Married women who are either separated or deserted, should be of 35 years of age or above.
  • Period of separation/desertion should be of 1 year or more on date of sanction of pension.
  • If the proposed beneficiary is single and belong to urban area, then the age limit is 35 years and if belongs to rural area, then the age limit is 30 years.
  • There is no support of the family or any relative.
  • Having little or no means of subsistence.
  • Allocated amount is Rs 1000 per month.
• CKDU Pension – Continuous Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology:

  Patients who are undergoing Continuous Kidney Dialysis, even if covered in any category of Social Security Pension Scheme are eligible to avail NTR Bharosa Scheme. Allocated amount is Rs 2500 per month.

Selection Criteria for NTR Bharosa Pension

While the fundamental criteria to get eligibility for the NTR Bharosa pension being the Below Poverty Line (BPL) status, the Andhra Pradesh Government has listed out certain factors based on which it checks the inclusions and exclusion of pensions. The inclusion and exclusion factors are listed as below:

Inclusion factors: As per the AP state government, priority will be given to below mentioned persons:

1. ST households particularly PVTG Households in Agency areas
2. SC households
3. Practicing Artisans (Weavers, Toddy Tappers, Barbers, Washer men, Potters, Blacksmith, Carpenter, Cobbler, Animal herder, Village Artistes etc) and other Back ward Classes
4. Daily labourers (Daily wage labourers, Agricultural Labourers, Migrated labourers)
5. Nomadic Tribes having no permanent residence
6. Households with destitute/orphans
7. Households with Disabled
8. Households of Manual Scavengers
9. Other poor Households

Exclusion factors: Those belonging to below mentioned lists will not be considered for the NTR Bharosa Pension Scheme:

• State/Central Government and PSU Employees
• Government employee pensioners (including PSU, Central Govt etc)
• Income tax payers
• Land owners having more than 2.5 Acres of wet and 5 Acres Dry or both wet and dry together more than 5 Acres (except ST in scheduled areas in ITDAs)
• Outsourced Employees
• Private salaried (monthly salaried)
• Owner of car
• Freedom Fighter pension holders

Application Procedure for the NTR Bharosa Pension Scheme

A person seeking NTR Bharosa Pension Scheme should have following documents ready with them in order to avail the same:

1. Photograph of applicant
2. Aadhar number
3. Savings bank account number
4. Age proof
5. Photograph Death Certificate of husband, if the applicant is widow
6. Xerox copy of registration in Cooperative society of Toddy Tappers
7. Weavers should submit a Xerox copy of registration in Co-operatives society of weavers.
8. SADAREM Certificate in the case of persons with disabilities 40%.

Once you have the documents ready, you can apply for availing the NTR Bharosa Pension by following these steps:

• Applicant has to apply through the Gram Panchayat with duly filled application form with the supporting documents as mentioned above.
• Once the application is received, it is verified and checked by the Janmabhoomi Committees.
• List of names who are found eligible by the Janmabhoomi Committee will be uploaded by the MPDO/Municipal Commissioner for sanction of the pension. For rural areas, MPDO is the sanctioning authority for all pensions of those who are eligible as per the recommendations of Janmabhoomi Committee and for urban areas, the Municipal Corporation is the sanctioning authority in respect of all pensions, as per the recommended list of the Janmabhoomi Committee.
• Once the pension is sanctioned, a Pensioner ID will be allocated to you as a pensioner.
• The distribution of pension is done by the Panchayat Secretary/Bill Collector directly to the pensioners in the presence of Sarpanch/Ward and the members of Gram Panchayat/Ward.
• In order to ensure that the pension is disbursed timely and on monthly basis, tabs along with bio-metric devices have been deployed at the pension disbursement centers.
• As per the guidelines of NTR Bharosa Pension Scheme, pensions should be disbursed on 1st of every month at a fixed place and time slot allotted by committee. However for cases who are bedridden or suffering from Leprosy, the disbursement is done at their doorsteps.
• Pensioners can access their pension money with a RuPay Card, which they can use to withdraw the money through a mini ATM.
• Once the application is submitted, you can keep track of your application through the official website of NTR Bharosa Pension Scheme www.ntrbharosa.ap.gov.in
• Click on the Search option after entering your Pensioner ID to show the status of the NTR Bharosa Pension.