Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said this was to avoid the untoward incidents that took place during distribution of pension earlier.

In view of the untoward incidents that took place during distribution of pensions, the State Government has decided to disburse it at the doorstep of pensioners from February, said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

Addressing a press conference in Vijayawada on Thursday, Mr. Naidu said that the State Government has put pensions on the right track by linking up with Aadhaar cards. The pensioners were also happy as they were receiving Rs. 1,000 pension for old age and Rs. 1,500 for physically challenged. But, there were mishaps as the aged could not stand in queues for long hours. So, the Government has decided to disburse the pension at their doorstep, he said.

The village secretary and village committee would visit the house of every pensioner from next month. The government would synchronise the data, including biometric details, on the tabs given to the village secretaries. Thumb impressions of the pensioners would also be taken on same tabs, he said.

Stating that water has become a precious commodity and there was a need to preserve each drop of water and ensure that river water does not going waste into sea, Mr. Naidu said that linking right canal of Polavaram project on Godavari with river Krishna through water grafting and transfer 70 tmc would be taken up.

Mr. Naidu evaded a direct reply for questions on plans to stay in the city. He quipped: “I am here regularly. We have a common capital for 10 years. All the important departments would be shifted here. Skeletal machinery would function from Hyderabad.”

Irrigation Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, BC Welfare Minister Kollu Ravindra, Machilipatnam MP Konakalla Narayana and others were present.