1,458 Kerala government employees illegally availing social security pension

The fraud was discovered during an inspection carried out by the Information Kerala Mission on the instructions of the Finance department. The Health department tops the list with 373 employees illegally availing the monthly pension of ₹1,600 per beneficiary.

A State government probe has revealed that 1,458 government employees, including gazetted officers and college teachers and higher secondary schoolteachers, have been illegally availing the social security pension meant for the needy sections of society.

The fraud was discovered during an inspection carried out by the Information Kerala Mission on the instructions of the Finance department.

Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal has issued directives for initiating stern disciplinary action against the officials and recovering the money with interest. According to the Finance department, the State government requires over ₹900 crore a month to meet the social security and welfare pension commitments to 62 lakh beneficiaries.

Of the two assistant professors on the list, one is employed in a government college in Thiruvananthapuram district and the other in a government college in Palakkad district. There are also three higher secondary schoolteachers on the list, according to Mr. Balagopal’s office.

According to the findings, most government departments have employees taking advantage of this assistance without authorisation. The Health department tops the list with 373 employees illegally availing the monthly pension of ₹1,600 per beneficiary.

The General Education department is second with 224 employees on the list. The Directorate of Medical Education has 124 employees and Indian Systems of Medicine, 114 employees.

Other departments include Animal Husbandry (74), Public Works (47), Technical Education (46), Homeopathy (41), Revenue and Agriculture (35 each), Social Justice (34), Insurance Medical Services (31) and Collegiate Education (27).

The Finance department has decided to move ahead with the inspections to weed out ineligible individuals from the list of beneficiaries.

In the 2023-24 State Budget, the government had announced cesses on petrol, diesel and IMFL to finance the Social Security Seed Fund, as the annual financial commitment was getting heavier.

About 5.88 lakh of the beneficiaries are eligible for Union government assistance of ₹300 each in their pension, but the Central share is in arrears, according to the State government.

Published - November 27, 2024 06:47 pm IST