Shillong, Oct 30: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Wednesday  launched the State wide Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for pension under of Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS), Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS) and Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS) of National Social Assistance Programme.

The DBT will ensure that all beneficiaries receive pension benefits directly into their bank accounts. Terming the initiative as a positive step for timely delivery of pensions to the beneficiaries the Chief Minister said that Meghalaya currently has 46,816 beneficiaries under the scheme which will be increased to cover 86,00 beneficiaries in the near future further adding that the pension money will be transferred to the beneficiaries on the first day of the every month.

DBT will also be extended to include beneficiaries under the Chief Minister’s Social Assistance programme to ensure efficient and speedy delivery of benefits under the scheme.