Social security pension fraud: Vigilance probe ordered against officials in Kottakkal municipality

Finance Minister orders the probe against officials who helped ineligible individuals secure social security pensions meant for the economically weaker sections of the society

Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal has issued directions for a vigilance probe against officials in the Kottakkal municipality in Malappuram district who helped ineligible individuals secure social security pensions meant for the economically weaker sections of the society.

The decision comes against the backdrop of a Finance department audit revealing rampant misuse of the social security pension in Ward No. 7 of the Kottakkal municipality where people owning high-end cars and airconditioned homes had found a place on the beneficiary list.

Government officials who carried out the verification regarding eligibility, revenue officials who issued income certificates and officials who authorised the pension will face probe by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, Mr. Balagopal’s office said.

Government departments concerned have been asked to file reports on the follow-up action taken in this regard to the Finance department. The inspection in ward no. 7 had revealed that 38 of the 42 beneficiaries whose eligibility was checked were undeserving of the pension. The beneficiary list had contained individuals who owned luxury cars and air-conditioned houses, and in some cases, where either the husband or the wife was a service pensioner.

A report of the Finance department’s inspection wing had pointed to the possibility of corruption and conspiracy in such a large number of ineligible individuals finding a place on the beneficiary list from a single local body ward.

State-wide probe

In the light of the latest development, the department has decided to extend the probe across the State in order to weed out ineligible names form the list of beneficiaries. It also decided to issue instructions to local bodies to carry out a verification of beneficiaries who get their pension through bank accounts at regular intervals.

Earlier this week, a State government probe had revealed that 1,458 government employees, including gazetted officers and college and school teachers, have been illegally availing the social security pension. The fraud was discovered during an inspection carried out by the Information Kerala Mission on the instructions of the department.

Published - November 29, 2024 07:23 pm IST