BJD chief Naveen Patnaik on Thursday sought the intervention of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to ensure the timely distribution of social security pensions to beneficiaries throughout the state.
The opposition leader’s remarks followed the tragic death of a 66-year-old widow in Ganjam district, whose family claimed she took her own life after not receiving her pension for three months.
The deceased, identified as B Sabitri Dora from Chadheyapada village in the Beguniapada block, passed away on Sunday.
On Tuesday, her married daughter alleged that Dora lived by herself and depended entirely on the monthly Rs 1,000 pension for her survival, noting that her last payment arrived back in March.
Responding to the tragedy, Patnaik, in a social media post, stated that the situation was “extremely heartbreaking” and alleged that lakhs of beneficiaries across Odisha have been left without their social security payouts for more than three months.
“It is extremely heartbreaking that people are dying for the sake of pensions. For more than three months, lakhs of people in the state have been facing widespread problems without receiving pensions under social security schemes,” he said.
Terming reports of lives lost over pension issues as “highly unfortunate,” the former chief minister targeted the BJP government for failing to deliver on its electoral promises to hike pension amounts.
“The government has neither increased the pension amount nor ensured regular disbursal of pensions to beneficiaries who were earlier receiving them on time,” Patnaik alleged.
He added that these persistent payment delays have forced many elderly citizens into severe distress and financial desperation.
“People who depend on pensions for their survival are facing numerous difficulties. Many are unable to purchase essential medicines and are struggling to meet basic needs,” he said.
Patnaik pressed the chief minister to act swiftly to ensure seamless pension payouts and protect the state’s most vulnerable populations.
“While people’s misery is stirring the public conscience, why is the government remaining silent? Instead of pushing people into frustration, arrangements should be made immediately to provide pensions,” he said.
In response to the backlash, Nityananda Gond, the state’s Minister for School and Mass Education, ST & SC Development, Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare, blamed the delays primarily on technical snags within the pension system.
“The pensions could not be properly disbursed to some beneficiaries due to certain software issues in the portal. The problem will be resolved soon,” Gond said.
Chief Secretary Anu Garg added on Wednesday that similar technical challenges were being observed in other states as well.
“We are actively working to resolve these technical bottlenecks, and citizens will receive their pending pensions very shortly,” she stated.
