Large scale irregularities alleged in the Pension Scheme in Odisha
30 Nov, 2013
The reply to an application filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act has revealed large scale irregularities in the Madhu Babu Pension Yojana in Jagatsinghpur district of Odisha. The reply to the application shows that hundreds of persons belonging to the age group between 35 and 45 years changed their ages in the electoral roll in order to be eligible for the old age pension. Apart from this, there are many people who have been drawing pension in the name of already dead beneficiaries.
The RTI reply says that 37 persons have been continuously changing their ages in the electoral roll in Deobhog village enrolling their ages between 60 and 65 for past four years in order to draw a pension of Rs. 300 per month under the Madhu Babu Pension Yojana.
The applicant and the villagers alleged that old age pension has been disbursed to ineligible persons by corrupt officials under political pressure. They said that there are more than 500 such cases of fraud in the municipality alone.
After the forgery of voter list came to the light, the Sub-Collector directed the Jagatsinghpur Municipality authority to stop old age pension of 37 persons in Deobhog village.