13 fake beneficiaries return divyang pension in Odisha

JAGATSINGHPUR : At least 13 beneficiaries have returned their last three months ‘divyang’ pension to Balikuda block administration after it was found they had availed the benefit fraudulently.

Dalit Bikash Parishad leader Sankar Das had alleged ineligible youth from the block were being issued disability certificates. After his appeals to the chief minister, officials of Panchayati Raj department and collector of Jagatsinghpur went unheeded, Das threatened to stage an agitation in front of Balikuda block office. This prompted Balikuda BDO Bikash Kumar Mohanty to form an inquiry committee to investigate the matter.

During probe, it was found that hundreds of fake beneficiaries had submitted fake disability certificates to avail old age and divyang pensions from the government. The officials identified 13 fake beneficiaries in Ichhapur panchayat of the Balikuda block, who had availed pensions by submitting fake disability certificates. The individuals have since returned their last three months’ pension to the block administration and tendered apology.

Ichhapur sarpanch Rajlaxmi Puhan said, “During verification by the team formed by the BDO, 13 fake beneficiaries were detected. Nearly 1,100 beneficiaries of the panchayat have availed pensions under different schemes so far. But so far, 13 have returned their last three months’ pension to the government.”

Mohanty has issued a showcause notice to data entry operator Kartik Biswal and transferred executive officer of Ichhapur panchayat, Sahdev Behera, suspecting their involvement in the scam. Probe is being conducted in other panchayats of the block. Meanwhile, Das has sought the intervention of the state government and district administration to conduct an inquiry in all panchayats of the district to unearth the racket.