Proper verification of pensioners must: Sonika
Tribune News Service
Haridwar, April 7
Lack of proper and regular verification of beneficiaries of various pension schemes is leading to irregularities in pension payment. Cases of pension being paid to dead and ineligible candidates have come to light.
Haridwar Chief Development Officer Sonika today reviewed the performance of various pension schemes under the Social Welfare Department and reprimanded officials concerned for not regularly verifying the particulars of the applicants and the beneficiaries. She also warned them of action in case of further laxity in the verification process for pensioners.
“Several cases have come to light where pension is being paid to dead and ineligible people. This needs to be checked. The previous government had recently raised the monthly pension of the beneficiaries from Rs 1,000 to Rs 4,000 and old age, widow and physically handicapped pension to Rs 800 per month. Since this raise in the pension, the number of applicants has doubled and irregularities and complaints have also increased,” Sonika said.
She directed the officials to ensure physical verification of the applicants and beneficiaries so that only eligible candidates get the benefits of the pension schemes. According to the government order, physical verification of pensioners should be done at the district level under the observation of district magistrates. In cities and towns, sub-divisional magistrates through patwaris and lekhpals and in rural areas, block development officers through village development officers had been given the responsibility of ensuring 100 per cent verification of pensioners.
Sonika said the nodal officers for the task would not verify pensioners in their place of posting. Special emphasis was being given to ensuring that no error takes place during data entry. Action would be taken against those officials and employees who still made entries of dead and ineligible persons in pensioner beneficiary list.
The deadline for the completion of the verification process is May 15. Photographs, mobile phone numbers, bank account numbers, IFSC code and Aadhar UID numbers are necessary with the pension forms.
