Old age pension (OAP) can also be paid to ghosts! If you don’t believe, you can visit our panchayat to verify this, says Khetramohan Sha of Nilji village of Nuapada district.
Khetra says that, he came to know about it, when he became the Ward Member of Ward No - 5 of his village. He wanted the Government officials to distribute pension in his presence and to his discontent, he discovered that, one of the ghosts who has been paid uninterruptedly for last ten years is none other than his own grandfather, Chanchal Sha.
Chanchal died ten years ago but the disbursement of Rs 300 per month has not stopped, and if continues further, the amount will increase to Rs 500 after two years, when his age would cross 80.
Khetra has brought many such cases of ghost payments to the fore, simply by remaining present during the disbursement of pensions. The number of such ghosts is ten in Nilji village alone. According to death register, Thabira Sha of the village died in 2014; Tanke Sha in 2015, Sadasing and Muri in 2016 and Maniprabha, Chitri and Sidhhu died in early 2017. Harendri Bewa died before ten years, but all of them are paid pension regularly. They have all received the pension up to the month of July.
“There are hundreds of such cases. People of Kharsel, Karlakhamar and Rebidi villages of our block have also complained about such fake payments. The administrations should conduct a thorough inquiry into the cases and take action against the corrupt officials,” demands Khetra, drew the attention of the Collector of Nuapada last week.