BJP Decries Odisha Govt Directive To University Pensioners For Personal Appearance

Bhubaneswar: The BJP on Wednesday came down heavily on the Odisha government for directing pensioners of the state-run universities to personally appear before the Controller of Finance by March 25.

Briefing the media here, BJP state general secretary Lekhashree Samantsinghar said that the state government through an ordinance has taken over the management of all state-run universities and is now trying to harass the teachers and the staff.

She questioned the basis of the directive, warning to withhold the pension of the retired pensioners of these universities if they failed to personally appear before the Controller of Finance before March 25.

“As per the rules framed by the state government, the government employees after their retirement will deposit their life certificate in the bank through which they will receive their pension as proof that they are alive. But there is no such rule regarding the physical appearance of any pensioner. This is unconstitutional, illegal and inhuman,” Lekhashree maintained.

Stating that it the responsibility of the state government to take action against any employee if he/she is fraudulently receiving the pension, she said that the directive of the government for their personal appearance during the COVID-19 pandemic is utterly deplorable.

Terming it as illegal, she demanded immediate rollback of the directive.