Government officials asked to cough up embezzled pension funds in Bolangir district

Loisingha: The administration has ordered recovery of embezzled pension funds to the tune of Rs 4.17 lakh including interest from a panchayat supply assistant and a programme assistant of the block social security office in Losingha of Bolangir district. The district administration had investigated the alleged irregularities in the social security scheme in Jharmunda panchayat under this block. Lakhs of rupees towards pension have been embezzled in the name of dead persons.

Sarpanch Banita Meher had taken up the issue with local MLA and the Bolangir district administration.

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The district administration, during its investigation, found that two people – panchayat supply assistant Hemant Sahu and programme assistant of the block social security office Srikant Gadtya – were involved in the scam.

Sub-collector Lambodar Dharua has directed the district social security officer and the BDO to recover Rs 4.17 lakh (including interest) from the accused duo.

It was alleged that pension funds worth lakhs of rupees under Madhu Babu Pension scheme and National Pension Scheme (NPS) had been misappropriated in the names of 56 dead persons of Jharmunda, Nansapalli, Paradhiapalli, Luchkibahal and Ambapali.

On the basis of allegations made by the sarpanch, Loisingha MLA Mukesh Mahaling raised issue at the first panchayat samiti meeting May 4.

Thereafter, the sub-collector had sought a list of dead persons of the panchayat and asked the block social security officer to seize the pension distribution register. This exposed the involvement of two officials.