Kerala Launches Crackdown on Pension Fraud Among Government Employees

Kerala's government is taking strict action against fraudulent pension claims by around 1,500 government employees. Measures include departmental disciplinary actions, mandatory annual mustering, and face authentication. Names of deceased beneficiaries will be removed. The state aims to ensure that only eligible recipients benefit from social welfare pensions.

In a stern move against fraud, Kerala's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has announced that strict action will be taken against government employees fraudulently claiming social welfare pensions. The state's probe identified some 1,500 government employees, including officers and professors, improperly receiving benefits intended for the underprivileged.

This decision was made during a special meeting led by the Chief Minister, as disclosed in a government release. Disciplinary measures will be imposed at the departmental level, and efforts initiated to recover the pension amounts with interest. The administration will target both the undeserving claimants and the officials responsible for the misconduct.

The government plans to implement an annual mustering, a face authentication system, and ensure income certificates and Aadhaar seeding are mandatory for pension recipients. Previous audits revealed wealthy individuals enlisting for these pensions, prompting broader inspections to rectify the lists.

(With inputs from agencies.)