Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Finance Department has initiated a vigilance investigation after irregularities were discovered in the distribution of welfare pensions in Kerala. Finance Minister K N Balagopal has ordered a probe into officials in Kottakkal Municipality, Malappuram, involved in the fraud, with a focus on those responsible for investigating pension eligibility, granting income certificates, and approving pensions.
Investigations into 42 pension beneficiaries in Ward No 7 of Kottakkal, Malappuram, revealed that 38 individuals had falsely claimed the welfare pension. Shockingly, some pension recipients own luxury items such as BMW cars, while others live in homes with air conditioning, indicating clear violations. Ineligible individuals, including those already receiving service pensions through their spouses, were also found on the list.
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It has also been found that most of the beneficiaries live in houses larger than 2000 square feet. The Finance Department's Investigation Division reported that there may have been corruption and collusion behind the inclusion of such a large number of ineligible pensioners in a single ward.
The Finance Department is now conducting a thorough inspection of all welfare pension beneficiaries in Kottakkal Municipality, with plans to expand the scrutiny to the entire state. The department has instructed local self-government bodies to regularly assess the eligibility of welfare pension recipients to ensure only deserving individuals remain on the list.
Sources from the Finance Department have indicated that the goal is to remove all ineligible individuals from the list. All local self-government bodies will be instructed to periodically assess the eligibility of welfare pension recipients through bank accounts.
The Finance Department has also directed an immediate report on the follow-up actions taken in this case. It has also requested a monthly assessment of the investigation's progress against the officials found guilty.
Published: 29 Nov 2024, 12:59 pm IST
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