RAS question
As per Rajasthan Economic Review 2025-26 up to December, how many beneficiaries were covered under Mukhya Mantri Old Age Samman Pension Yojana?
Correct answer: (A) 51.72 lakh.
Under the Mukhya Mantri Old Age Samman Pension Yojana, nearly 51.72 lakh persons were covered in 2024-25 up to December 2024, as reported in the Rajasthan Economic Review 2025-26.
Explanation
The relevant scheme is the State's Mukhya Mantri Old Age Samman Pension Yojana, not the similarly named national pension schemes. The Rajasthan Economic Review 2025-26 states that this scheme provides an Old Age Samman Pension of Rs 1,150 per month to eligible women aged 55 years and above and men aged 58 years and above, subject to family income being less than Rs 48,000 annually. For 2024-25 up to December 2024, the review records that nearly 51.72 lakh persons benefited under this scheme, with expenditure of Rs 6,658.27 crore. Therefore, 51.72 lakh is the beneficiary count under the Mukhya Mantri Old Age Samman Pension Yojana.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) 8,45,154 is the beneficiary count for the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension, not for the Mukhya Mantri Old Age Samman Pension Yojana.
- (C) 6,24,365 belongs to the Mukhya Mantri Vishesh Yogyajan Samman Pension Yojana, which covers specially-abled applicants, not old-age pension beneficiaries.
- (D) 17,193 is the beneficiary count for the Indira Gandhi National Disabled Pension Scheme, so it is from a different social-security pension entry.
Concept
Rajasthan Economy includes social-security schemes and budgetary review data. RAS examinations repeatedly ask such figures because the Economic Review is the official source for scheme-wise coverage and expenditure.