Acting on reports of irregularities in the pension distribution for the disabled in Barabanki district, the state government has ordered a probe by the vigilance establishment.

About a month ago, the Disabled Welfare Department received complaints that people who did not meet the criteria were getting pension for the disabled.

At the time of distribution of the first half-yearly installment of the pension for current year, the list of beneficiaries was displayed at the panchayat level.

An official of the District Welfare Office at Barabanki said: “This was perhaps the first time the names were disclosed openly. People got to know who were getting the pension. We have around 80 names in waiting, and as soon as the lists were released we started getting complaints.”

The state government also received complaints and a preliminary probe showed that over two dozen beneficiaries were being given this pension using fraudulent methods and the process had been continuing for the last three years.

Principal Secretary to Chief Minister and Principal Secretary (Disabled Welfare) Shailesh Krishna said: “Apart from complaints that people not disabled were getting pension, we also got complaints stating that the certificates of the beneficiaries did not match their physical disabilities, which proved that there was something fishy.”

Krishna added: “We were also told that there certain documents of the beneficiaries were missing from the district office, so we ordered a vigilance probe.”

Already, the state government has ordered the district magistrates to conduct a physical verification of beneficiaries across the state and stop all pension disbursement till it is complete.

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