State govt stops direct transfer of benefits

CHANDIGARH: At a time when the Centre and a majority of the states are promoting direct benefit transfer of government schemes to the beneficiaries in their bank accounts, the SAD-BJP government has reverted to the old system of distribution of social security pensions and Shagun money through panchayats.

Nitin Jain

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 29

At a time when the Centre and a majority of the states are promoting direct benefit transfer of government schemes to the beneficiaries in their bank accounts, the SAD-BJP government has reverted to the old system of distribution of social security pensions and Shagun money through panchayats.

Without realising the repercussions of manual distribution of grants, which was earlier mired in controversies due to complaints of embezzlement, the government has decided to withdraw the work from banks.

The development assumes significance as it has come at a time when the Badal government has doubled the amount of social security pension from Rs250 to Rs500 per month with the Assembly elections, due in early 2017, in mind. The enhanced pensions and Rs15,000 shagun to each beneficiary at the time of her marriage would be paid through panchayats from January 1.

The Congress has called it a political move, but Minister for Social Security, Development of Women and Children Surjit Kumar Jayani said it was done on public demand.

In a communication issued on November 24, a copy of which is with The Tribune, the Department of General Administration (Cabinet Affairs branch) wrote to the Secretary, Social Security, Development of Women and Children, that the distribution of social security pensions and Shaguns would be withdrawn from the banks and handed over to the panchayats from January 1.

Referring to a decision taken to this effect at the Cabinet meeting held here on November 19, the government ordered that wherever the distribution of pensions and Shagun money could not be distributed through panchayats due to administrative reasons, the District Development and Panchayat Officers would ensure that administrative officers are deputed at such places for the disbursal of grants within one week of receipt of the amount.

“To ensure the proper distribution of pensions, the DDPOs and District Welfare Officers would form district-level committees,” read the government order.