Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu wrote an open letter to the pensioners on Saturday. He said that the government had increased the pension by Rs 1000 as promised during the election. The pension has been enhanced since April this year. The arrears are also to be paid this month, he said.

Chandrababu Naidu told them that the pension would be delivered at their doorstep. He asked them to wait at home. The government officials will come and hand over the increased pension, he said. He said that the government had been taking steps to the welfare of the people. He further added that the welfare of the people is the first priority of this government.

The increase in the pension would cost Rs 819 crore burden on the government, he said. The previous government had taken five years to increase the Rs 1000 pension. Moreover, at the time of elections, the government had caused severe inconvenience to the pensioners, he said. The pensioners were made to visit the government office in the hot sun, he said. Several pensioners died in the process and it had pained him more than anything, he said in the letter.

The previous government had no direction. The government destroyed every institution in the state in the last five years, he said. He is now trying to rebuild the destroyed state, he said. He would take up issues on priority and complete them within the scheduled time. He sought the blessings of the pensioners in his efforts to rebuild the state.

He told them that he had promised a Rs 4000 pension every month from April this year. The increased pension is paid on July 1. This is the fulfilment of the election promise, he said.

Meanwhile, it is said that Chandrababu Naidu would personally meet some pensioners on July 1 and hand over their pensions. Sources in the government say that he would visit the houses of pensioners at Penumaka village of Tadepalli mandal on the day. The officials are making arrangements for the chief minister’s v