3,800 ‘ghost’ beneficiaries received Rs 11 cr in Sangrur, reveals survey

A survey has detected 3,800 ‘ghost’ beneficiaries in whose bank accounts the social welfare assistance, including old-age pension, totalling Rs 11 crore was deposited by the Department of Social Security.

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According to sources, after the detection of the ‘ghost’ beneficiaries, mostly of the old-age pension scheme, the monthly aid of Rs 1,500 per month was stopped in February by the District Social Security Office, Sangrur.

The sources said the District Social Security Office, Sangrur, kept on depositing the pension and other financial aid for nearly two years till January this year. The total amount, which was deposited in the bank accounts of such beneficiaries, is said to be Rs 11 crore.

According to the sources, the process to recover the amount has been begun by the District Social Security Office, Sangrur.

District Social Security Officer Jasvir Kaur said her office had started recovering the amount.

However, she declined to give information on how much had been recovered so far, adding that she would provide details when her office recovered the entire amount of Rs 11 crore.