JAGATSINGHPUR: At a time when hundreds of elderly, disabled, widows and destitute women are running from pillar to post to get social security benefits, around 30 ghost beneficiaries in Khairang panchayat of Jagatsinghpur block are withdrawing monthly pension from the district administration. The alleged pension scam came to light through an RTI reply recently. It appears to be just a tip of the iceberg and the number of dead or ineligible people withdrawing pension under Madhu Babu Pension Yojana (MBPY) could be much higher, sources said.
Of a total 1.34 lakh beneficiaries in the district, hundreds of pension holders are found to be fake.
Debendra Kumar Nanda, who filed the RTI, said a racket is active in Khairang and the racketeers in nexus with the panchayat officials have managed to loot lakhs of rupees using fake thumb impressions of ghost beneficiaries. Similar irregularities are also found in implementation of toilet scheme, MGNREGS and IAY in the panchayat, he added and demanded a probe into the alleged scam.
Citing few case studies, he said while Sudarsan Nath, Madhusudan Barik and Sundari Nath of Khamang village in the panchayat died two to three years back, their names are still available in the beneficiary list and monthly pension is being released in their favour. Bijaylaxmi Barik of the village alleged that though her father-in-law died about two years back, the pension money is being withdrawn without her knowledge. Even her mother-in-law is yet to get the widow pension under the scheme.
Similar reports are also pouring in from Tirtol, Naugaon, Biridi and other blocks of the district. In Tirtol block, several young people are also getting old-age pension by manipulating their date of birth and producing fake voter list and age proof.
Probe begins
Meanwhile, a team comprising four officials led by District Social Security Officer (DSSO) Abdul Wahid Khan visited Khairang panchayat to inquire into the matter and found the allegations were true. The inquiry report will be submitted to the Collector for further action, said Khan. Jagatsinghpur BDO in-charge Manas Ranjan Bhoi said, “We are looking into the matter and action will be taken against errant employees as per law.”