Rs 1344 crore welfare pension went to undeserved sections; govt cuts 7 lakh names from list

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government looks to obliterate seven lakh people from the welfare pension scheme. According to government findings, out of the total 47 lakhs, seven lakh people enjoyed the fine joys of pension till 2019 December illegally. The welfare scheme is only applicable to people with salaries less than one lakh per annum. The government asked for salary certificates to confirm the same but surprisingly 6.5 lakh people evaded submitting the documents. Another 50000 people who gave the certificates have salaries extending one lakh per annum.

The government looks to adopt strict scrutinizing schemes to check the salary certificate and undergo a mustering process. The next check will end on July 2023. During this time, the undeserved ones found will be taken off the welfare scheme list. People with cars, and AC fitted in houses will also lose their access to the welfare pension scheme.

According to reports, lakhs of deserving people are still omitted from the scheme. The delay in approving the salary certificate from the village offices is proving costly for such people to make a jump into the welfare scheme list. The undeserved ones mostly got into the list through political affiliations and help from biggies in power. On another note of fraud, until now the widow pension schemes were taken illegally by people who were just divorced.

Henceforth, the center-allotted pensions will come through the public financial management system. So, both the central and state governments will have separate pension schemes and the beneficiaries won't get Rs 1600 in one go like before.

The government's findings revealed that the underserved sections took a wholesome Rs 1344 crore during the three years' time as a welfare pension scheme. The government increased the fuel cess just to pay the welfare pension schemes to the financially downtrodden in society.