CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has directed the collector Kendrapara to ensure within two months payment of family pension to Hara Sahoo of Palei Derakundi, whose husband died 46 years back.The 91-year-old widow’s husband Benudhar Sahoo was an assistant teacher at the Ratnakar middle english school when he died on August 26, 1977.
The single judge bench of Biraja Prasanna Satapathy issued the direction while disposing of the widow’s petition challenging the rejection of her representation for consideration of her family pension, gratuity, and other service benefits by the collector on August 21, 2023. The widow had been filing representations for sanction of family pension since 1991.
The state authorities had rejected her plea on the ground of eligibility as Benudhar died in 1977, but the family pension scheme was introduced in 1980-81. However, Justice Satapathy ordered for payment of pension considering the fact that though Benudhar died in 1977, in normal course, he would have retired in 1983.
While quashing August 21, 2023 order of the collector, Justice Satapathy directed him to take consequential action for sanction of family pension in favour of the petitioner (Hara Sahoo), as due and admissible from the date of entitlement and release the same along with arrear within a period of two months from the date of receipt of this order.
Advocate Ganeswar Behera who represented the widow in the high court told TNIE on Saturday, “Hara Devi who is now 91 and is still able to walk, stays with her son, a 60-year-old retired Fishery department employee, daughter-in-law and three grandsons at Palei Derakundi in Kendrapara district.”