Old Age Pension Fraud In Odisha: Ineligible 65 Booked, Asked To Return Availed Amount

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Police have registered cases against 65 people, who reaped the benefit of old age pension social security scheme in Kendrapada district by forging their age proof documents.

These people, aged between 40 and 50 years, are from Argala gram panchayat area.

Aul block development officer (BDO) Minati Jagdev said they availed old-age pension from February to August this year on the basis of school certificates and other documents, which were later found to be fake. “They have been directed to return Rs 7,000 pension they had received during these months to the government,” she told the media.

Following a complaint from the block development officer, a case has been registered against them under Sections 319(2), 318(4), 336(2), 338, 340(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and further investigation is underway, Aul police station IIC Sabyasachi Satapathy said.

Under Madhu Babu Pension Yojana (MBPY), elderly people aged between 60 and 79 years are eligible for a monthly pension of Rs 1,000 while those aged 80 years and above will receive Rs 1,200 a month. This apart, National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), a central scheme, provides financial assistance to the elderly, widows and persons with disabilities in the form of social pensions.

Pension will cease to be payable following the death of the pensioner.

As per the guidelines of NSAP and provisions of MBPY Rules 2008, gram panchayats and panchayat samitis will report every case of death of a pensioner immediately to the BDO or sub-collector concerned.