Pension Scam: Vigilance probe in entire Kerala state

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A state-wide vigilance probe will be conducted into the swindling of welfare pension of Rs 1,600 for the poor, by individuals including the super-rich and gazetted officials. Vigilance chief Yogesh Gupta told 'Kerala Kaumudi' that the fraud had taken place in all the districts and the extent of the amount and the modus operandi of the fraud would be ascertained.

He said that the embezzlement of government money is corruption, economic offence and misuse of the government machinery. The forged documents given to get the pension, which officers sanctioned the pension, the criteria for selecting the ineligible, who approved the list of ineligible persons, how the government permission was received for the same, the accounts where the pension amount is going, and the error in the verification of the beneficiaries will be investigated. Files and documents of various departments will be examined for this.

The vigilance will submit proposals to the government to prevent pension fraud and correct the mistakes in determining the beneficiaries.

Action should be taken under Section 111 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sammelan (BNSS), including confiscation of property, against those who have swindled huge amounts of money. The vigilance chief also said that strong action should be taken against the fraudsters.

Not limited to Kottakkal alone

The government has directed a vigilance probe against all the officials who were involved in the fraud. The finance department suggested an inspection after it was found that a majority of pensioners in the seventh ward of Kottakkal municipality were ineligible.

Failed 4-step verification

1. Officers of the local bodies should conduct a field verification first on applications for pension
2. The village officer should certify that the annual income of the applicants is less than Rs 1 lakh.
3. After receiving this, the list of beneficiaries will be handed over to the government by the secretary of the local bodies.
4. Every year, the local bodies should carry out mustering of the beneficiaries and reaffirm their eligibility.

Ineligible

• Those who own more than two acres of agricultural land
• House more than 2000 sq foot in size
• Those with a vehicle with more than 1000 cc
• Family income is more than Rs 1 lakh

"The entire state will be investigated to find out the route of the fraud. The government has suggested that there should be no more pension fraud."

- Yogesh Gupta

Vigilance chief