Former Jharkhand Assembly Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari today alleged several people under 60 years of age were being benefited from the old age pension scheme in Palamu district.
"The old age pension scheme is eligible for 60-year-old people and above. But when I checked the list in Gahuganva village in Palamu, I found 24 persons are of the age ranging between 39 and 58 years," Namdhari said at a press conference here.
"I was dumbfounded when genuine beneficiaries of the old age pension approached me with complaints. Then I started checking the documents and found many more such cases," he said.
Distributing a copy of his letter to Chief Minister Hemant Soren drawing his attention to the issue and alleged irregularities in Indira Awas Yozana in Palamu district, the former Lok Sabha member claimed "genuine people" were deprived of the welfare schemes.
"I have already announced that I will not contest elections any more, but will remain active in politics to serve the people with my political experience. And taking up the old age pension and Indira Awas issues are part of that decision," he added.
Asked whether there should be a retirement age for politicians too, the 72-year-old leader said, "Yes, I think 75 is the ideal age for a politician's superannuation. But there are some political leaders like 86-year-old L K Advani, who are active even now."
When asked whether he would rethink if any opportunity came his way to contest elections, the former Bihar Transport minister cited an example how in the past leaders who had taken "political sanyas" made a comeback following certain situations.
