Amaravathi: The Andhra Pradesh government has doubled  the old-age pension to Rs 2,000 from January benefitting 5.4 million pensioners in the state.

"In a major welfare move, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced enhancement of the old-age pensions Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 from this January," said an official statement.

Soon after coming to power in 2014, Naidu had increased the pension to Rs 1,000 from Rs 200.

The press release stated that it was a Sankranti festival gift and will benefit 24,22,444 elderly persons, 20,13,808 widows, 6,41,820 persons with disabilities, 1,07,992 weavers, 28,011 toddy tappers, 32,979 HIV patients, 1,665 transgender persons, 45,358 fishermen, 1,12,471 single women, 8,044 dialysis patients totalling 54,14,592 people.

Those people having more than 80% disability and transgender persons getting Rs 1,500 currently, will receive Rs 3,000.