Archive · 7 Aug 2026
Vijayan slams Kerala government over end of doorstep pension delivery
In the Indian state of Kerala, the government gives pension money to poor, elderly and disabled people.
For the last ten years, cooperative banks delivered this money to people's doorsteps.
Now the state government has decided to put the money directly into Aadhaar-linked bank accounts instead.
Only people who are bedridden and cannot visit a bank will still get the money at home.
A leader named Pinarayi Vijayan says this change is bad for people.
He says many pensioners are old, sick or disabled and would find it hard to go to banks.
He also says the central government pays for only a very small part of these pensions.
The state government says the new system will stop problems like delays and duplicate payments.
Mr. Vijayan wants the order to be withdrawn so that home delivery can come back.
Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan slammed the UDF government in Kerala for ending doorstep delivery of social security pensions through cooperative banks.
The state government ordered that all social security and welfare fund board pensions be disbursed through Direct Benefit Transfer to Aadhaar-linked bank accounts.
Bedridden patients and others who cannot be excluded from doorstep delivery will continue to receive pensions at home.
Vijayan said the move would hit the poor, elderly, persons with disabilities and those outside the banking network, calling it a 'right-wing approach.'
The government cited delays, reconciliation issues and duplicate payments as reasons, while Vijayan said the Centre funds only about 13.5 per cent of pensioners.
- Who
- Pinarayi Vijayan, Leader of Opposition and CPI(M) veteran, criticised the UDF government in Kerala; the order was issued by Additional Chief Secretary (LSGD) K R Jyothilal.
- What
- Kerala's government ordered an end to doorstep delivery of social security pensions through cooperative banks, switching to Direct Benefit Transfer to Aadhaar-linked bank accounts.
- When
- Friday, August 7.
- Where
- Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.
- Why
- The government says DBT compliance is needed to avoid losing central financial assistance and to fix delays, reconciliation issues and duplicate payments; Vijayan says the move weakens the welfare pension scheme and hurts vulnerable beneficiaries.
Opposition (Vijayan / LDF)
Kerala government (UDF)
Pension delivery method
Opposition (Vijayan / LDF)
Doorstep delivery through cooperative banks is a people-friendly system; moving to DBT would hurt the poor, elderly, disabled and those outside the banking network.
Kerala government (UDF)
DBT to Aadhaar-linked accounts is needed for compliance with central norms and to fix delays, reconciliation issues and duplicate payments.
Motivation behind the order
Opposition (Vijayan / LDF)
The government is using the Centre's guidelines as an opportunity to weaken the welfare pension scheme; the 'right-wing approach' treats pensions as charity rather than a right.
Kerala government (UDF)
Compliance with DBT norms is necessary to avoid losing central financial assistance.
- Pension scheme
- Social security and welfare fund board pensions in Kerala
- New delivery mode
- Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to Aadhaar-linked bank accounts
- Doorstep delivery period
- Nearly half of pensioners received pensions at doorsteps over the last 10 years
- Central contribution
- About 1% of total monthly pension outgo; benefits around 13.5% of pensioners
- State-funded beneficiaries
- Around 86% of pensioners
- Exception
- Bedridden patients and others who cannot be excluded from doorstep delivery
- Order issued by
- Additional Chief Secretary (LSGD) K R Jyothilal
- Government's cited problems
- Delays in remitting undistributed amounts, record-update failures, reconciliation issues, duplicate payments