Pension goof-ups galore but none held accountable

JAIPUR: Members of the Suchna Evum Rozgar Abhiyan, who have been campaigning for a law to enforce accountability among government servants, met on Wednesday in Jaipur to discuss the outcome of the 22-day dharna last month and plan future strategy. Although activists recently showed that pensioners were being denied monthly payments because of faulty delivery mechanisms and incorrect data maintenance, no action has yet been taken against officials responsible for the distress caused to the poor.
Of the 68 lakh pensioners in the state, nearly 10 lakh had not received pensions for several months. There was no clear accounting for about 8 lakh pensioners. The government has listed over 2 lakh as dead, but activists had found that several of those marked dead in pension lists were still alive.
What is also significant is that about two lakh pensioners have been denied pension for a reason cited as just "other", activists noted. There is a list of 25 reasons for which pension could be denied, but what this "other" means is hard to understand, activists said. Pensioners could find their monthly pensions halted for a range of reasons that have nothing to do with them - either the bank account is faulty or pensions are being paid into accounts they do not hold. When they seek arrears for months in which they were not paid, they are often not paid the full sum.
"Duplication of pension is something the Management Information System (MIS) should be able to trace. The system is designed not to allow this," said activist Nikhil Dey, adding that despite the government's admission of errors, no functionary has yet been held to account. He said this showed there was dire need for an accountability law. problems that have left poor people without the little support they earlier had. Dey said the bumbling in the pension payments by the state was a clear instance of the dire need for an accountability law that would impose penalties on government servants found negligent of their duties.
Attending this meeting was a poor couple from Jodhpur district that on hearing of this meeting had arrived with papers relating to land that had been allegedly usurped. Activists read through the documents and promised help.