Pension disbursement through smart cards in Haryana

CHANDIGARH: Trying to curb corruption and make policy implementation transparent, Haryana Social Justice and Empowerment Department announced today that pension will be disbursed through electronic banking using smart card scheme of the Centre.

While disclosing this here today, Haryana Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Geeta Bhukkal said that under the new pension distribution system, the beneficiaries of pensions would have to open bank accounts through District Social Welfare Officers in the banks specified by the department.

Business Correspondents appointed by the concerned bank would visit each village to open bank account of the beneficiaries. The pension for the month of April 2011 would be paid to the beneficiaries through banks, she added.

Bhukkal said that AXIS Bank has been assigned for districts Faridabad, Kaithal, Karnal, Palwal and Sirsa, ICICI Bank for Ambala, Bhiwani, Panipat and Sonepat, Union Bank of India for Fatehabad, Mewat, Narnaul and Rewari, PNB for Jhajjar and Rohtak, Central Bank of India for Gurgaon, SBI for Hisar, State Bank of Patiala for Yamuna Nagar, Oriental Bank of Commerce for Jind, Corporation Bank for Panchkula and HDFC Bank for Kurukshetra.

She said that the pension of the beneficiaries, who have already opened bank accounts in the specified bank would be deposited directly in their bank accounts from April 2011 and the beneficiaries who have not yet opened bank account should open them in the specified banks for proper implementation of the scheme.