5 years on, Punjab govt yet to recover dues from 70K fake beneficiaries

Muktsar, June 26

It’s been around five years since the Department of Social Security and Women and Child Development identified 70,137 fake beneficiaries in the state, but nothing much has been done to recover pending dues from them.

Waiting for orders

Recovery notices were sent to all the fake beneficiaries. Just a few of them returned money. Now, we are awaiting the government’s directions. — Jasvir Kaur, dist social security officer, Muktsar

Though the department had once served the recovery notices to the fake beneficiaries, yet only a few people had returned the amount withdrawn by them illegally on various occasions.

At present, the state government under its social welfare scheme gives

Rs 1,500 per month to widows, old-age people, destitute children and disabled persons. Before the revision in July last year, this amount was Rs 750 per month.

In Muktsar district, as many as 7,441 fake beneficiaries were identified by the authorities and Rs 15.76 crore has to be recovered from them. However, only Rs 60,000 has been recovered so far, said sources.

Sangrur district has maximum 12,573 fake beneficiaries and Rs 26.65 crore was siphoned by them between 2009 and 2017.

Jasvir Kaur, District Social Security Officer, Muktsar, said, “Recovery notices were sent to all the fake beneficiaries. Just a few of them returned the money. Now, we are awaiting the government’s directions.”

Another DSSO said, “The pension of these fake beneficiaries was immediately stopped, but the action could not be taken against them. Over the years, pension of some beneficiaries has been restored on a basis of valid documents submitted by them. Earlier, these people were not fulfilling the conditions laid by the department.”

Meanwhile, the beneficiaries were awaiting pension for the month of May. “We are hopeful to disburse the pension (May) this week,” said Jasvir.

Most in Sangrur

• In Muktsar, 7,441 fake beneficiaries had been identified and Rs 15.76 crore was to be recovered from them
• Sangrur district has 12,573 fake beneficiaries (maximum) and Rs 26.65 crore was siphoned by them