Himachal Pradesh, February 14:
A large-scale fraud is suspected in the disbursement of social security pensions in Himachal Pradesh. In an initial review of 1,438 pension beneficiaries, discrepancies were found, with 1,141 individuals recorded as being between 104 and 124 years old. Each of these beneficiaries has been receiving ₹1,700 per month, directly credited to their postal or savings bank accounts on a quarterly basis.
The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment currently provides various types of social security pensions to approximately 8.18 lakh beneficiaries across the state. However, around two lakh pension recipients are now under scrutiny due to suspected irregularities.
Process of Pension Approval
Applicants for social security pensions in Himachal Pradesh submit requests on plain paper to the Tehsil Welfare Officer, who forwards them to the District Welfare Officer for processing. These applications are then uploaded online and reviewed by a district-level committee, chaired by a local MLA. In Shimla district, for instance, the committee is currently led by Congress MLA Nand Lal from Rampur. Similar committees operate in other districts, approving pension applications based on official reports.
Amid rising concerns, authorities suspect that fraudulent beneficiaries may have been included in the scheme. The exact number of individuals involved will be determined following a thorough investigation. The revelation of these irregularities has put several officials and employees under pressure.
Irregularities Found in Initial Review
During a preliminary inspection of the e-Kalyan portal, discrepancies were identified in 260 old-age pension cases and 37 widow pension cases. In total, 1,438 cases have been flagged for further verification, with district welfare officers instructed to complete their investigations within a week and submit reports to the Directorate. Additionally, 25% of all pension-related documents are set to undergo a detailed review.
– Kiran Bhadana, Director, Directorate for the Empowerment of Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes, Minorities, and Specially Abled Persons
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