Over 7 lakh pension applications junked, Karnataka govt data shows
Karnataka has either rejected or cancelled seven lakh social security pension applications since 2019 by integrating three citizen databases to weed out ineligible or bogus beneficiaries.
Authorities say the government has managed to save Rs 451 crore even as the annual pension outgo remains high at Rs 9,483.51 crore.
According to revenue department data, 22.69 lakh social security pensions have been sanctioned against 30 lakh applications since 2019. There are 39,597 pension applications pending.
At present, Karnataka offers nine monthly pensions covering old age, disability, widows, unmarried/divorced women, transgenders, acid attack victims and endosulfan patients. There are 75.90 lakh pensioners.
“We managed to cancel five lakh pensions in a special suo motu verification drive in which a database was sent to all village accountants for verification,” director of social security and pensions D M Satish Kumar told DH.
Kumar explained that the revenue department, which administers the pensions, has integrated databases.
“We’re verifying age details with the Aadhaar database, for example,” he said.
“We’re checking for dead beneficiaries based on data from the registrar of births and deaths. We’re also verifying beneficiaries against the ration card database of the food & civil supplies department,” he said. Pension applications have to be disposed of within 45 days under the Sakala scheme that guarantees timely citizen services.
In May, Revenue Minister R Ashoka launched the toll-free number 155245 for citizens to apply for pensions and get them within 72 hours. The toll-free number also serves as a portal for citizens to get any other information on revenue department’s services.
Before launching the toll-free number, Ashoka ordered pensions to be sanctioned suo motu using the Kutumba household database, without citizens having to apply.
The government is now trying to bring all pensions under the direct benefit transfer (DBT) regime.