Balasore, Nov 10: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday announced the inclusion of 5,05,817 new beneficiaries under the Madhu Babu Pension Yojana (MBPY), taking the total number of beneficiaries to 41,80,825.

The Chief Minister also unveiled the Unified Pension Management Portal (UPMP) at a programme held at the Reserve Police Lines ground in Balasore.

Majhi said no elderly person, senior citizen, person with disabilities or helpless individual eligible for government assistance would be left out of the scheme.

"The era of waiting is over. A new era of respecting people's rights has begun. Every eligible person will now receive a pension," Majhi said.

In accordance with the budgetary commitment for the current financial year, more than five lakh additional eligible people have now been brought under the pension scheme.

Majhi said the inclusion of the additional beneficiaries would require an extra annual expenditure of around Rs 625 crore. He observed that spending Rs 500-600 crore more for the welfare of senior citizens and vulnerable sections should not be considered a burden on the government.

"There are several schemes on which crores of rupees are being spent. Making our elderly people suffer for Rs 500-600 crore is not appropriate," he said, describing the additional expenditure as a meaningful investment in the welfare of senior citizens.

To make the pension delivery system simpler, more transparent and faster, the Chief Minister launched the Unified Pension Management Portal (UPMP). Eligible applicants can submit their applications online through the portal or visit their nearest Jana Seva Kendra or Block Development Officer's (BDO) office for assistance.

According to the Chief Minister, beneficiaries will start receiving regular pensions from the month following their application. He also announced that beneficiaries attaining the age of 80 years would automatically become eligible for the enhanced monthly pension of Rs 3,500 without having to submit a fresh application.

The newly enrolled beneficiaries will receive their pensions for October and November together as a two-month lump-sum payment. District-level distribution programmes will be organised from November 11 to 13, followed by block-level programmes from November 18 to 20.

Those unable to collect their pensions during these programmes can receive the amount in cash from their respective panchayat or municipal offices on November 25. From December onwards, regular monthly pensions will be disbursed on the 15th of every month.

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The event also witnessed the inauguration and foundation-laying of 70 development projects worth approximately Rs 340 crore in Balasore district. These include the inauguration of 28 projects worth Rs 78 crore and the laying of foundation stones for 42 projects estimated at Rs 262 crore.

The Chief Minister also flagged off the Madhu Babu Pension Yojana awareness campaign vehicle, launched by the Department of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Odisha. The initiative aims to spread awareness about the pension scheme and ensure that all eligible people can access its benefits.