Dehradun: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has approved the verification of pensioners receiving benefits of old age and widow pensions in addition to the government pension and legal action will be taken. CM Dhami has directed to establish accountability at every level. In fact, several such cases have recently come to light in the state where retired employees from the same government department are receiving benefits of two pensions.
The matter came to light when the Accountant General (Audit) examined the records of retired employees in the state. It was discovered that over 1,300 such employees were also receiving pension benefits from the Social Welfare Department. Following this, the Accountant General sent a letter to the Chief Secretary and Finance Secretary to clarify the situation. This was the first case of double pensions to be reported. Given the seriousness of the matter, the Social Welfare Department took action.
After the matter came to light, the Director of the Social Welfare Department ordered an investigation, which subsequently began in all districts of the state. The investigation revealed that 1,377 pensioners were receiving dual pension benefits. This means that while they were receiving a retirement pension from their department, they were also receiving benefits from Social Welfare Department schemes such as old-age and widow pensions. Given the seriousness of the matter, Chief Minister Dhami also took strict action. Instructions have also been given to take action against the culprits.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that strict instructions have been given to ensure that the benefits of public welfare schemes in the state reach the eligible individuals, and there should be no negligence. He said that it is against the rules for those receiving government pensions at the state government level to also receive benefits like old age and widow pension etc. under the social security scheme. Such acts have been thoroughly investigated, and instructions have been given to take action against those found guilty. Officials have also been instructed to work vigilantly to prevent recurrence of such cases in the future.
