In an audit by Kerala's Finance Department, it revealed that affluent individuals, including BMW car owners, were fraudulently claiming social security pensions intended for the economically needy in Kottakkal Municipality, Malappuram district.
A significant number of disqualified pensioners lived in luxurious homes over 2,000 square feet, featuring luxury amenities like air conditioning, which goes against the intent of the welfare pension program.
The audit has sparked concerns about corruption and collusion among local officials in charge of verifying eligibility, as it seems they permitted wealthy individuals to be added to the beneficiary list.
Considering these findings, Kerala's Finance Minister ordered a comprehensive review of all social security pension recipients in Kottakkal and initiated a vigilance investigation into the officials involved in the fraudulent inclusion of affluent individuals
The Kerala government has set strict eligibility requirements for welfare pensions, such as a household income limit of Rs 1 lakh and a ban on possessing luxury items. The state is currently updating the pension list to guarantee that only those truly in need receive benefits.
