CHANDIGARH: After finding 82,533 fake social security pension beneficiaries across the state, Punjab's ruling Congress has ordered cancellation of payment to all the accounts in effect from April 2017. Also, pension benefits have also been stopped to 82,462 beneficiaries who were not found at their given address during the re-verification drive.
After coming to power this year, Amarinder Singh's government had ordered re-verification of all 19.89 lakh such beneficiaries in the state. 96 per cent of the process has been carried out, in which it was found that pension was being withdrawn on the name of 65,743 deceased beneficiaries. Recovery of illegal pension amount from fake beneficiaries, and departmental action against delinquent officials will begin once the process is completed. Social Security and Development of Women and Children director, Kavita Singh said, “We have stopped payments to fake beneficiaries from April onwards as the pension amount has been disbursed by the government till March only.”
She however said there may be cases where the pension beneficiary was not available at the given address when the re-verification team went. So the government is giving people some time for an explanation. “Thereafter, if the committee finds the reason genuine on re-verification, the social security pension would be restarted.” When asked about the recovery of money, Singh said, “That is the second stage. First we have to verify the reasons behind receiving such benefits and then we'll see what is to be done.”
Regarding disciplinary action against government officials, she said, “There will definitely be some officials involved in this because verification was conducted by somebody. Hence, disciplinary action would definitely be taken.”
