A mentally challenged girl of Sundargarh was declared dead by Sundargarh Municipality about two years ago and her disabled pension under Madhubabu Pension scheme was stopped though the girl is alive.
The mother of the victim holding her mentally challenged daughter, reached before the Executive Officer of Sundargarh Municipality on Thursday afternoon, to prove that her daughter is alive. The Executive Officer of Sundargarh Municipality after checking the fact realised the mistake and released her pension. The victim was identified as Anima Sahu (22), daughter of Laxmi Sahu, a resident of Patrapara under the Sundargarh Municipality.
Anima was a beneficiary under the Madhubanu Pension scheme and was regularly receiving a monthly pension of Rs 500 since 2008. Since she was mentally challenged, the Municipality staff of Sundargarh Municipality were personally visiting her house and making the payment of pension amount there. Anima did not receive her pension amount since August 2019.
After three months, her mother Laxmi had reached Sundargarh Municipality office, to inquire about the nonpayment of pension but had not got any suitable reply. After a few months, first Covid wave and lockdown had arrived, after which Laxmi had stopped coming to Sundargarh Municipality office.
But she had again started inquiring into the matter recently. After several visits to the municipality, she was shocked to know that the pension of her daughter had been stopped showing her as dead.
"After I checked the fact and I relalised that the claim is genuine and the mentally challenged girl is not getting pension since August 2019. I have immediately ordered to release the pension,” said Executive Officer, Sundargarh Municipality, PK Saha, adding that appropriate action would be taken against the person responsible for the goof-up.