Taking cognisance of a complaint about the number of ineligible persons receiving pension from the social welfare department, the State Government has directed officers of the social welfare directorate to review the data on beneficiaries and remove from the beneficiaries list the names of those found ineligible or benefiting under more than one pension scheme. This information was provided by additional secretary of social welfare, Manoj Chandran on Thursday.
Chandran said that complaints had been received from some districts about ineligible persons being benefited under various pension schemes launched by the state government.
As per the preliminary inquiry, in some cases, some persons were found to be receiving pensions under two separate schemes. like one person getting old age pension while at the same time also receiving pension provided for the persons with special needs or a woman received old age pension while also receiving pension provided for widows at the same time. It was also revealed that there are some cases of some persons deriving pension from two different districts at the same time. Such persons might have been covered under two pension schemes because they have made pension card after reaching other districts. As social welfare department conducts camp at district level and those are found eligible are given pension card under various pension schemes.
In Markham Khairi village, Doiwala, Dehradun, an irregularly in various pension schemes has come into light wherein ineligible candidates were found receiving pension under physical handicapped pension scheme.
Taking note of it, the state government ordered an inquiry at district level to review all the pension schemes and verify whether intended beneficiaries are being benefited under the scheme they are liable for.
The department of social welfare started four level of inquiry over irregularity in pension schemes. Block development officer, sub-divisional magistrate and district magistrate are conducting an inquiry by forming a committee at their level. At directorate level also, an inquiry is on, he added.
Chandran said that the officers at directorate level have been directed to review the list of pensioners and draft a list of bank account numbers wherein pension amount is released to two same names or two different names. They are also making list of names whose name and permanent address are same. Such names would be deleted after thorough investigation.
At district level, three committees have been formed to conduct an inquiry and these committee members are expected to submit their report by last week of February.
In Doiwala, a complaint was received in the social welfare department and it was revealed that seven members of a family were being benefited with pension under physical handicapped pension scheme after submitting forged document. Around 400 such complaints were received from various parts of Dehradun district wherein it was revealed that ineligible persons are being benefited under various schemes launched by the state government.
In Dehradun district, it has been revealed that for the last two years, social auditing has not been done. A committee has been formed at village level by the Block Development officer and its members were directed to conduct social auditing of pensions across the district. Apart from this, they would visit door to door of the intended beneficiaries to review the pension scheme.
SDM level officers have been directed to conduct review pension schemes in their jurisdiction. Social welfare officers have been directed to provide list of beneficiaries under various pension schemes.
At district level, DM has appointed a village development officer for each village and they have been directed to review pension schemes.
It should be mentioned here that in Dehradun district around 12, 500 persons are being benefited physically handicapped pension scheme. Around 17000 women are being benefited under widow pension scheme. Around 800 famers are also getting pension and 53, 000 persons are being benefited under old age pension scheme.