Kerala Social Security Pension Scam: Six employees of Soil Survey and Conservation Department suspended

The suspended employees include a work superintendent, an office attendant and four part-time cleaning staff working in various offices of the department. (image for representation) | Photo credit: Reuters

Six employees of Kerala’s Soil Survey and Soil Conservation Department have been suspended in connection with an investigation into the illegal withdrawal of social security pension meant for the backward sections of the society.

The suspended employees include a work superintendent, an office attendant and four part-time cleaning staff working in various offices of the department. It has been directed to recover the full amount of pension taken by them with 18% penal interest rate.

The decision represents the first set of directives by the Finance Department dated November 30 to government departments to take strict disciplinary action against such employees and recover pension amount with interest.

Director of Soil Survey and Soil Conservation Department Saju K. As per Surendran’s order issued on December 8, the following employees have been suspended: Nasheed Mubarak Manzil, Works Superintendent (Vadakara); Sajitha KA, Office Attendant (Kasargod), and Part Time Cleaner Sheezakumari G (Pathanamthitta), Bhargavi P. (Meenangadi), Leela K. (Meenangadi), Rajni J (Thiruvananthapuram).

Principal Secretary (Agriculture) B Ashok said that action will be taken against the employees who collect the pension.

This decision of the department is expected to put pressure on other departments as well as to take action against the employees who take pension without taking the qualification.

In November, an investigation by the finance department through the Information Kerala Mission found that 1,458 government employees, including school and college teachers, were illegally drawing these pensions.

Health Department and General Education Department are at the top with 373 and 224 employees respectively. Other departments include Animal Husbandry (74), Public Works (47), Technical Education (46), Homeopathy (41), Revenue and Agriculture (35 each), Social Justice (34), Insurance Medical Services (31) and Collegiate Education (31). are 27).

Profits have not been abandoned

According to government officials, in at least some cases, disability pensions (one of five Social Security pensions) were being drawn by people who failed to give up benefits after getting government jobs.

In November, the government had also ordered a vigilance probe against government officials who helped several people, including owners of high-end luxury cars, to get a place in the social beneficiary list in Ward No. 7 of Kottakkal Municipality, Malappuram. Security Pension.