Coronavirus: Elderly, differently-abled to get 3 months' pension in advance

For the differently-abled, the pension is fixed at Rs 300 per month up to 79 years of age and Rs 500 for 80 years and above

The Centre will give three months' pension in advance to nearly three-crore widows, senior citizens and differently-abled in the first week of April amid the lockdown over the novel coronavirus pandemic, officials said on Friday.

Under the National Social Assistance Program (NSAP), a monthly pension is being given to the poor senior citizens, widows and persons with disabilities.

The program comes under the purview of the the Union Rural Development Ministry. There are 2.98-crore beneficiaries under this programme and the pensions are transferred directly to their bank accounts, officials said.