TV
Over 200 ineligible beneficiaries are receiving old age pensions in Argal Panchayat under Aul block in Kendrapara, alleged the district unit of the BJP on Tuesday.
Addressing a presser, BJP leader Krushna Chandra Panda said, “While eligible beneficiaries are doing rounds of the block office to get the old age pension, 240 ineligible beneficiaries aged between 37 and 50 are receiving the pension by submitting fake certificates procured from different schools including the Nodal UP School, Argal and Biripata High School in Jajpur.”
“In the coming days, we will see how stringent action will be taken against these ineligible beneficiaries and the racket involved,” he added.
Local residents too echoed the allegations of the BJP leader. They said some leaders of the previous government and corrupt officers were involved in it.
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“People younger than me are receiving the pension while I have been deprived of it even though I applied twice. My wife is 62 years old. She is also not receiving it,” alleged Sarat Dhal, a villager.
Another Argal villager, Hanumati Nandan Dhal said, “We would like to request the government to initiate a probe to find out whether the beneficiaries presently receiving the pension are eligible or not. The ineligible beneficiaries should be struck off from the list.”
In this regard, when contacted, Kendrapara district Collector Smruti Ranjan Pradhan said, “If anyone is receiving a pension without attaining the prescribed age limit, necessary action will be taken against them. The government is also clear in this regard.”
