1,500 Kerala govt staff found drawing pensions meant for the poor and old

Nearly 1,500 government employees, including gazetted officers and college professors in Kerala, have been found fraudulently receiving social security pensions, according to a report by the Press Trust of India (PTI).

 

The irregularity came to light during an inspection by the Information Kerala Mission, which manages the computerisation and networking of local self-government institutions. The inspection followed orders from Kerala's Finance Minister, K N Balagopal.

 

The recipients of these unlawful pensions include gazetted officers and teachers. Among them:

 

< Two assistant professors, one from a government college in Thiruvananthapuram and the other in Palakkad, were implicated.

< Three higher secondary school teachers were also found receiving the benefits.

 

According to PTI, the Health Department had the highest number of offenders, with 373 employees fraudulently receiving pensions. Other departments include:

 

Public education: 224 recipients

Medical education: 124 recipients

Ayurveda (Indian System of Medicine): 114 recipients

Animal husbandry: 74 recipients

Public works: 47 recipients

Technical education: 46 recipients

Homeopathy: 41 recipients

Agriculture and revenue: 35 each

Judiciary and social justice: 34 each

Insurance medical services: 31 recipients

Collegiate education: 27 recipients

 

The Finance Department has directed the recovery of unlawfully obtained pension amounts, including interest. Minister Balagopal has also ordered strict disciplinary action against the individuals involved.

 

Officials have confirmed that further inspections will continue at various levels to identify and remove ineligible beneficiaries. "Steps will be taken to ensure that eligible individuals receive their pensions accurately, without delays," a senior official told PTI.

 

What is Kerala's social security pension?

 

Kerala's social security pension schemes cater to vulnerable groups, including the elderly, widows, and people with disabilities. The state provides a monthly pension of Rs 1,600 to around 6.2 million individuals, with the schemes administered through local bodies such as Grama Panchayats, Municipalities, and Corporations. Applications are processed via the Sevana Pension platform.

 

Eligibility criteria depend on income limits and residency requirements. For example, the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme mandates applicants to be 60 or older, with an annual family income below Rs 1 lakh and at least three years of residency in Kerala.

 

Kerala is not alone in witnessing fraud within social security pension schemes. Other states have faced similar issues:

 

Rajasthan: Between 2019 and 2022, an audit by the Social Justice Department revealed that 270,000 ineligible individuals received pensions, causing a loss of over Rs 250 crore.

 

Punjab: In 2020, more than 70,000 ineligible beneficiaries were found to have illegally drawn Rs 162.35 crore in pensions.

 

Haryana: A 2023 report by the Anti-Corruption Bureau pointed out flaws in police investigations into pension fund misappropriation. The Punjab and Haryana High Court subsequently ordered a preliminary enquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

 

Tamil Nadu: In March 2024, the Commissionerate of Social Security Schemes uncovered a scam involving diverted funds from the Old Age Pension Scheme into other bank accounts. Authorities initiated recovery and preventive measures.