AGARTALA, May 12 (TIWN): Confusions have been emerged regarding social pensions temporary suspension issue after BJP Social Welfare Minister Santana Chakma has expressed shocks over the oppositions claims of social pension’s suspension. The Minister not only said that the pensions are being given regularly, but also claimed that all the beneficiaries who are getting pensions will continue to get it. She said, the suspension was not in the pension-process but it was in the new beneficiaries names entry. Before Santana Chakma addressed today, both CPI-M, Congress had claimed that ‘Social pensions are stopped’.

Not only this, on yesterday BJP leader Pratima Bhowmik said the pensions were stopped for review as many fake beneficiaries are enjoying social-pensions and within June month the review most likely to be ended.

Today during Santana Chakma’s visit at Orphanage at Agartala, reporters asked her regarding the social-pension’s delay in Tripura. Replying media question, Chakma said, “This is totally a false propaganda started by a newspaper. We are giving the allowances regularly even though that newspaper claimed that we are not giving social pensions since February month”.

“When our new govt came in power, we found the treasury has no fund. Due to that reason 2 months were delayed but on the basis of emergency vote of account we cleared the allowances. Since then we are giving allowances continuously”, she added.

“Then we decided to do an audit and it was said that till the audit is done, we will not add any new beneficiary. The people who are getting social pensions will be getting without any halt”, Santana Chakma told media.

But it was on yesterday that BJP leader Pratima Bhowmik said via press conference, “We have requested the state govt to clear the pensions within June month. But re-verification is very important. It has been found that a 40 years person are getting oldage allowances and also allowances are sanctioning in dead persons names. Following the 25 years of corruption led by CPI-M”.

Congress has called the move of the Govt as “Undemocratic to stop 4.5 lakh beneficiaries allowances”, whereas CPI-M said, “It’s unthinkable”.