Kendrapada, Odisha: The Kendrapada district administration has initiated probe after allegations of fraudulent disbursement of old-age and disability allowances came to the fore in Ali Block’s Barik Panchayat.
The allegations were raised by BJP’s Kendrapada district vice president and MLA candidate in last election Krushna Chandra Panda. He accused that over 200 beneficiaries have forged their voter IDs and Aadhaar cards to claim government allowances meant for the poor and needy.
In his complaint, Panda stated, “It is shocking that 243 people, ineligible for benefits, have been included in the list of beneficiaries. I identified 65 such cases and reported them to the administration. While I suspect at least 200 cases, no action has been taken in the past four months. If due attention is not paid to the issue, the BJP will take up the matter with authorities concerned.”
Refuting the BJP’s claims, BJD Ali Block President Sanatan Mishra strongly defended the administration. In a press conference held recently, Mishra said, “The old-age and disability allowances are provided as per government norms. The allegations made by BJP leaders are baseless and politically motivated. Beneficiaries are nominated following proper procedures and approved by the divisional officer and district collector. Any irregularities, if found, will be investigated, and necessary action will be taken.”
Mishra criticized the BJP for attempting to gain political mileage, stating, “Such false claims to gain cheap popularity will not be accepted by the public.”
Physical Verification Conducted
Amid the rising allegations, Kendrapada District Magistrate directed an investigation into the issue. A medical camp was held on June 9 in Barik Panchayat to verify the health conditions of beneficiaries.
Minarva Parida, a 64-year-old beneficiary, expressed her frustration, saying, “Despite being eligible, my allowance was stopped for the past 3-4 months. I underwent a health check at the medical camp and submitted my documents in the presence of officials.”
Out of the 303 allowance beneficiaries in Barik Panchayat, 292 were called for physical verification, but only 230 appeared. Over 60 beneficiaries were absent, raising suspicions about the legitimacy of their claims.
FIR Against 65 Ineligible Beneficiaries
Following a three-month investigation, Ali Block officials filed an FIR against 65 ineligible beneficiaries at the local police station. Besides, the administration has reportedly recovered allowances disbursed over seven months to these beneficiaries.
However, the controversy has also raised questions about the administrative process. Critics have pointed out that voter IDs and Aadhaar cards should have been verified before disbursing allowances. Whether action will be taken against the officials responsible for oversight though remains uncertain.
As BJP and BJD continue to trade barbs over the issue, beneficiaries demanded that the district administration must ensure transparency and restore public confidence in the distribution of welfare schemes.
Read More
