THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Finance Minister K N Balagopal on Friday levelled a serious allegation that the Union government defaulted on its share in social security pension. The state government had remitted an amount equal to the central share to the centre in advance. Even after getting it, the centre did not take steps to distribute it, he said in a statement.
The state government is giving Rs 1,600 as pension to all beneficiaries of social security pension. The central share for different categories is Rs 200, Rs 300 and Rs 500.
“As the centre consistently defaulted its share, the state government paid an amount equal to that of the central share to the PFMS (Public Finance Management System) through which the central share is paid. This was intended to help the beneficiaries get the full amount,” Balagopal said. But the central share did not reach the beneficiaries, he said.
The centre is defaulting its share blaming technical glitches in the PFMS. The PFMS could not distribute the money even weeks after the state gave the money.
The mandatory payment of central share through the PFMS came into effect on April 1. But the centre did not grant its share in time.
The minister said there were efforts from some corners to blame the state government for the centre’s failure.