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A shocking news has come out from Kerala. The Finance Department in the state has conducted a review regarding social security pension beneficiaries, which has revealed that owners of BMW cars and people living in houses with facilities like air conditioners are availing the pension benefits. Official sources gave this information on Friday. This new revelation comes amid widespread outrage in Kerala over reports of nearly 1,500 government employees, including gazetted officers and college professors, fraudulently availing social security pension.
This case of people from economically strong background receiving social security pension has come to light from Kottakkal Municipality in Malappuram district. According to Finance Department sources, such an audit will be conducted in the entire state, the aim of which is to remove all ineligible persons from the beneficiary list. Further, all local self-governing bodies will be directed to regularly assess the eligibility of beneficiaries receiving pension amount in bank accounts.
Finance Minister became strict
State Finance Minister K. N. Taking a tough stand on the Kottakkal case, Balagopal on Friday ordered a vigilance inquiry into the officials who had included such affluent individuals in the social security pension scheme for the poor. “The finance minister has called for a vigilance inquiry against officials verifying eligibility, revenue officials issuing income certificates and persons approving pensions,” a source said. The Finance Department has also directed the administrative departments to immediately report the follow-up action.”
Shocking cases revealed in investigation
The investigation, conducted by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau in the 7th ward of Kottakkal Municipality, was preceded by the investigation of pension beneficiaries by the Malappuram Finance Audit Department. “Forty-two beneficiaries were screened, of which 38 were found ineligible and one has died,” the source said. According to officials, the audit revealed shocking cases of ineligible persons, including owners of BMW cars, availing pension benefits. An official said, “Some pensioners live in houses with facilities like AC. There were also instances where spouses of pensioners who had done government jobs were drawing welfare pension.”
Many ineligible beneficiaries living in houses larger than 2,000 square feet
The audit revealed that many ineligible beneficiaries were living in houses larger than 2,000 square feet. The Finance Department suspects corruption and collusion behind the large-scale inclusion of ineligible beneficiaries in the pension list of a single ward. As a result, the government decided to check the eligibility of all social security pension beneficiaries in Kottakkal Municipality. The Local Self Government Department has been asked to give instructions to the municipality after this matter came to light. Earlier, an inspection conducted by the Information Kerala Mission had revealed that 1,458 government employees were receiving social security pension in the state. The mission had requested Finance Minister Balagopal to take strict disciplinary action against the guilty officials. (with language inputs)
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