﻿ Raina, Babbar, 100 others 'apply' for UP’s Yash Bharti pension | India News


Updated Feb 06, 2016 | 23:40 IST | The Times of India


Uttar Pradesh government's offer of a monthly pension of Rs50,000 for Yash Bharti awardees has attracted applications from over 100 recipients, including cricketer Suresh Raina, actor-turned-MP Raj Babbar and wife Nadira, classical vocalist Girija Devi and Chhannulal Mishra, among others.

The UP government had sent out a copy of the state's notification of the pension scheme, along with an application form, to all 141 recipients of Yash Bharti.

Until January 31, the last day for awardees to make an application, the government had received a request for pension from over 100 people.

Mega star Amitabh Bachchan, his wife Jaya and son Abhishek, who were also eligible for the pension, had earlier politely turned down the offer, and communicated the same to the state government, in writing.

When reporters contacted Raina, he said, "Why are you asking me? Ask the chief minister."

Congress MP Raj Babbar did not respond to text messages.

Other prominent people who have petitioned the UP government for the monthly pension include poet Gopal Das Neeraj, cricketer Mohammed Kaif, and actor Jimmy Shergill.

While the government refused to make public the complete list of applicants, sources in UP's culture department confirmed these applications had been received and were being processed. The UP government also plans to draw a list of Padma awardees from UP, who will be similarly eligible for a monthly pension.

In November, after running into a controversy over the announcement of a Rs50,000 pension for all Padma and Yash Bharti awardees, the government had promulgated the Monthly Pension Rules-2015 for the recipients.

Yash Bharti pension is amongst the highest paying pension schemes in the state. Most other schemes for performing artists in the state give paltry allowances in the name of monthly pension.

Following a report about the pension scheme in November, Amitabh had declined UP's offer of pension and requested the state government to direct the entire amount earmarked for the Bachchan family, to a charitable cause.

The incident had forced the government to clarify that only those person who meet the criteria laid down by the government, and apply in a set format, would be accorded the pension.

When reporters contacted Begum, she refused to comment on the incident and blamed the media instead for blowing things out of proportion. "The doctor who does the medico legal examination was not present. That's why I refused to admit her, but agreed after the police requested," she said.

The issue has now taken a political colour with the BSP threatening to take the matter to its "logical conclusion". The party's district president S P Rana said, "We have submitted a complaint against the doctor to the district magistrate and if no action is taken against her, we will do everything to get justice for the girl." Singh, meanwhile, said an inquiry is being conducted to ascertain the truth.
