6.5 lakh beneficiaries in Kerala are likely to be out of the social security pension net.
6.5 lakh beneficiaries in Kerala are likely to be out of the social security pension net.
About 6.5 lakh social security pensioners have failed to submit income certificates that would lead to their removal from the scheme, it is learnt. This is a preliminary estimate as the processing of certificates is in the final stage. The government had asked a section of beneficiaries to submit income certificates issued by the village officer to ensure that their annual family income was below Rs 1 lakh, a major criterion for inclusion in the scheme. This followed widespread complaints on ineligible beneficiaries availing of the benefit even as the government struggles to raise funds for pension payment.
As many as 47 lakh beneficiaries who joined the scheme up to December 2019 were asked to submit certificates at the local self-governments (LSGs).
The LSGs would upload them on the Sevana pension portal. About 34.5 lakh certificates have been uploaded so far. About 6 lakh certificates yet to be cleared by various local bodies owing to irregularities in the details provided, said a source. A significant number of people who did not submit certificates are those who joined the scheme when the upper ceiling on family income was fixed at Rs 3 lakh for a brief period under the previous UDF government.
So far, the government has not taken a decision on stopping payment to people who have not submitted certificates. The government spends about Rs 900 crore for the monthly payment to 52.5 lakh social security pensioners and seven lakh pensioners under various welfare fund boards.
The spending on social security pension is about Rs 770 crore and welfare fund board pension comes to around Rs 110 crore. The state is struggling to make the payment due to acute financial crisis.
Also, the Kerala Social Security Pension Ltd, a state-owned company formed to mobilise funds for pension payment through borrowings, is facing problems due to the revised norms on off-budget borrowings by the Central government.
The Union government had also defaulted its share in pension payments since October 2021. The Centre’s annual grant of Rs 250 crore is to be released as half-yearly tranches in April and October. The state has also decided to introduce Aadhaar-based annual bio-metric mustering for social security pensioners.
This is to remove deceased persons from the list of beneficiaries. This year, Akshaya centres will offer the facility for three months starting April 1.
