Existing minimum PF pension amount inadequate: Chandy

Batting for an increase in the Provident Fund pension amount, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy today said it was a reality that existing PF pension was very meagre. The minimum PF pension amount should be made at least Rs 1000, Chandy said while replying to a calling attention to the necessity to include PF pensioners in the scheme for supplying rice at Rs one per kg and in the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY).

Union Labour Ministry has forwarded a recommendation to hike the PF pension amount to Rs 1000. The matter was now under the consideration of Union Fiance Ministry, Chandy said. Referring to the demand of Elamarram Kareem (CPI-M) who moved the calling attention, Chandy said due to financial constrains of state, it would not be possible to include all PF pensioners in the BPL category list.

Centre has prescribed guidelines to identify the beneficiaries under RSBY and due to certain technical problems, all PF pensioners could not be included under the scheme, he said. In this regard, Kerala government's subsidy bill for rice would come to around Rs 635 crore and if all PF pensioners were included in the BPL list, the subsidy would go up to Rs 645 crore, he said.