Kendrapara: Old age pensions have become a mess in the Rajnagar block of Kendrapara district as several beneficiaries enrolled in the pension scheme are aged below 60.
This came to the fore after the district administration identified five persons aged below 60 who were enrolled as old age pension beneficiaries in a gram panchayat in Rajanagar block.
The district had a target to enroll 12,700 beneficiaries under the Madhubabu Old Age Pension Scheme, Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme, Indira Gandhi National Handicap Pension Scheme and the Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme.
Around 2,300 people were enrolled in Rajnagar block for the old age pension scheme. Many people tampered with their age documents and enrolled themselves for old age pension.
The District Social Security Officer, Pravas Kumar Das, said a complaint has come to the notice of the Collector that 10 people aged below 60 of Hatina Gram Panchayat in Rajnagar block have enrolled for old age pension. As a result, the Collector ordered a thorough inquiry into the matter.
Complaints were filed against Bela Jena, Saria Dei, Anadi Rout, Chhabindra Pradhan, Kumar Jena, Kalika Rout and Sridhar Rout of Hatina village and Lambodhar Bal, Sajani Das of Pentha village and Pareswar Jena of Mugakani village in Hatina panchayat.
“Acting on the orders of the Collector I held an inquiry and have verified the age of these 10 beneficiaries on the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Odisha’s website. It was found that five of the 10 beneficiaries were aged below 60 as on October 25, 2018,” said Das.
The inquiry revealed that Bela Jena, Suria Dei, Anadi Rout, Chhabindra Pradhan of Hatia village and Pareswar Jena of Mugakani village were eligible to get old age pension as their age was above 60.
But Lambodar Bal of Pentha, Kumar Jena, Kalia Rout, Sridhar Rout of Hatina and Sajani Das of Pentha were not eligible to get old age pension as their age was below 60.
The Sub Collector of Kendrapara, Sanjay Kumar Mishra, said the names of persons aged below 60 will be deleted from the old age beneficiaries list.
Locals said that the norms to get old age pensions were thrown to the wind to help certain people aged below 60 by greasing the palms of officials.
PNN