BY Kavita Sharma
Photo Credit: The Suncity News
Patna, June 10, 2026: In a major relief for social security pension beneficiaries in Bihar, Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Wednesday transferred Rs 1,100 crore directly into the bank accounts of more than 94 lakh beneficiaries through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.
The fund transfer was carried out via video conferencing from Bihar Bhawan in New Delhi.
Under the initiative, eligible beneficiaries received pension payments at the revised rate of Rs 1,100 per month.
According to Samrat Choudhary, the transfer was made to commemorate Prime Minister Narendra Modi completing the longest tenure as an elected Prime Minister of the country.
Samrat Choudhary maintained that the pension will be credited every month:
Samrat Choudhary also announced that, from now onward, pension amounts would be credited to beneficiaries’ accounts on the 10th day of every month.
“Those aged 60 years or above who have been left should apply soon to avail themselves of the benefits. The government is committed to the social security of poor, underprivileged, and needy sections of society,” Samrat Choudhary said.
The Bihar government has earlier increased the monthly pension amount from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100 ahead of following a decision taken by former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Nitish Kumar had also directed that pension payments should be deposited into beneficiaries’ accounts by the 10th of every month. However, delays in fund transfers had been reported over the past few months.
Addressing the issue, Samrat Choudhary instructed officials of the Social Welfare Department to ensure that future payments are made strictly on schedule.
Six social security pensions in Bihar:
The Bihar government currently provides benefits under six social security pension schemes.
These include the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme, Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme, Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme, Lakshmibai Social Security Pension Scheme, Bihar Disability Pension Scheme, and the Chief Minister Old Age Pension Scheme.
Earlier this week, the state cabinet had approved an advanced allocation of Rs 3,662 crore for these six pension schemes to cover payments for May, June, and July 2026.
Wednesday’s transfer marks the release of funds for the month of May.
Officials stated that Bihar currently has around 1.19 crore social security pension beneficiaries, out of which more than 94 lakh received payments in the latest DBT transfer.
EOM.
