Thiruvananthapuram: Finance minister K N Balagopal said it would be shocking if the entire list of govt employees obtaining welfare pensions is released. The minister added that action will also be taken against officials of local self-governments who certify that these govt employees are entitled to welfare pensions.
"It is wrong for govt officials to receive welfare pensions. Legal action will be taken against such officials. Welfare pensions are meant for those who are eligible. The money received illegally so far will be recovered. Releasing the full list would be shocking," he said.
The minister stated that further pruning of the list of welfare pension beneficiaries is ongoing, and many more people with more than one lakh annual income per year are on the list of beneficiaries. All these people, including govt employees, if any, will be removed. Action will also be taken against officials in local self-govt institutions who certify entitlement to welfare pensions, Balagopal added.
The minister said that govt has decided to serve notices to all govt employees found receiving the welfare pensions. Even though the list of these govt employees and the details of the period they were receiving the pensions have not been released yet by the govt, it is learned that the govt will take a decision on this after serving notices to these employees.
On Wednesday, govt released the list of 1,458 govt employees who were receiving social security pensions. The fraud was uncovered during an inspection conducted by the Information Kerala Mission as per the directive of the finance department.
Gazetted officers, including college assistant professors, were among those receiving welfare pensions. Teachers from higher secondary schools were also found to be recipients.
The audit identified two assistant professors—one from a govt college in Thiruvananthapuram and another from a govt college in Palakkad —along with three higher secondary teachers who were receiving pensions in violation of the rules. The health department reported the highest number of offenders, with 373 employees receiving pensions.