Stepping up his attack on the BJP-led Odisha government, Leader of the Opposition and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik on Friday accused it of failing the state’s most vulnerable citizens over the non-disbursal of social security pensions to nearly 18 lakh beneficiaries for the last three months, and urged Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to ensure immediate release of the pending payments.
File Photo: IANS
Stepping up his attack on the BJP-led Odisha government, Leader of the Opposition and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik on Friday accused it of failing the state’s most vulnerable citizens over the non-disbursal of social security pensions to nearly 18 lakh beneficiaries for the last three months, and urged Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to ensure immediate release of the pending payments.
In a letter to the Chief Minister, Patnaik said the prolonged delay has caused immense hardship to elderly citizens, widows and persons with disabilities, many of whom depend entirely on the monthly pension for their livelihood. He said withholding the assistance for three consecutive months has pushed thousands of vulnerable people into distress and deprivation.
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Referring to reports of the death of Sabitri Dora of Beguniapada in Ganjam district after allegedly being deprived of her pension benefits, the former Chief Minister termed the situation “unacceptable” and said the government had failed in its responsibility to protect the state’s weakest citizens.
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Patnaik also criticised the reported software-related glitch blamed for the delay, calling it a reflection of “grave negligence.” “People’s rights cannot be left at the mercy of technological failures,” he said.
Highlighting the BJD government’s record, Patnaik said pensions were distributed regularly on the 15th of every month, observed as “Jan Seva Diwas,” through Gram Panchayats, with doorstep delivery arranged for beneficiaries unable to collect their payments. He claimed the system ensured timely disbursement, accountability and dignity for pensioners.
Describing the current crisis as a “serious failure of governance,” Patnaik urged the Chief Minister to release all pending pensions through manual disbursement until technical issues are resolved. He also demanded that responsibility for the lapse be fixed and safeguards put in place to prevent a recurrence.
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