Rural development minister Jairam Ramesh has said he would soon move the Cabinet to seek approval for Mihir Shah Committee's major recommendations about upward revision in pensions for the elderly and disabled, but civil society has disapproved the proposed hikes.

Civil society criticized the proposed increase in the central assistance for elderly from Rs 200 a month to Rs 300 a month for blow poverty line people. The society termed the proposed increase as too little.

The so-called Pension Parishad, which is representing unorganized labour groups, recently staged a dharna, demanding pension of Rs 2,000 per month.

The Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan's Nikhil Dey said, "Rs 300 is an insult to the poor of this country. It is a death warrant for lakhs of elderly."

Aruna Roy, a member of the National Advisory Council, argued that the elderly worked all their lives to help the country flourish, then how the government could now neglect them.

Unorganized labour chief Baba Adhav accused rural development minister Jairam Ramesh of cheating the elderly and disabled. He pointed out the Mr. Ramesh had promised to significantly hike pension for the elderly.

According to Mr. Ramesh, the budgetary outlay for all five assistance schemes would hike from Rs 14,369 crore in 2013-14 to estimated Rs 55,496 crore in 2016-17.