Bhubaneswar: Leader of the Opposition and BJD president Naveen Patnaik Friday expressed deep concern over the non‑payment of social security pensions to around 18 lakh beneficiaries in Odisha for the past three months due to technical glitches, calling it a serious failure of governance.
In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Patnaik said the affected beneficiaries belong to the most vulnerable sections of society, elderly citizens, widows and persons with disabilities, most of whom depend entirely on these pensions for daily sustenance.
He alleged that denial of this vital support for three consecutive months has exposed the state’s most vulnerable citizens to severe distress, deprivation and even the risk of starvation.
Referring to reports regarding the death of Sabitri Dora of Beguniapada in Ganjam district after allegedly being deprived of her pension benefits, Patnaik stated that such a situation was unacceptable in a state committed to protecting its weakest citizens.
“What is even more shocking is that this prolonged delay has reportedly occurred due to a software‑related issue. This reflects grave negligence and an abdication of the Government’s basic responsibility. People’s rights cannot be left at the mercy of technological failures,” said Patnaik.
The BJD chief recalled that during the BJD‑led government’s 24‑year tenure, pensions were distributed regularly on the 15th of every month, observed as Jan Seva Diwas. He said beneficiaries used to receive their pensions at the Gram Panchayat level in a transparent and humane manner. When pensioners were unable to attend, officials ensured the pension was delivered directly to their homes.
“This citizen‑centric model earned widespread appreciation and was even commended by the Supreme Court. We consistently resisted pressure to shift entirely to the bank‑based pension disbursement system because our model ensured timely delivery, personal accountability and dignity for beneficiaries,” Patnaik added.
The BJD supremo emphasised that the current crisis arising from the prolonged delay in pension disbursement due to software issues demonstrates the wisdom of the approach followed by the previous BJD government.
“The stoppage of pensions for three months is not merely a procedural lapse; it represents a serious failure of governance. I therefore urge you to immediately release all pending pension payments through manual disbursement and ensure that such a situation never recurs. The Government must also fix accountability for this lapse and reassure pensioners that their rights will not be compromised in the future,” urged Patnaik.
According to reports, beneficiaries have not received old-age pensions, widow pensions, and disability allowances in their bank accounts for the past three months, causing massive hardship to people from vulnerable sections of society.
