Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik wrote to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressing deep concern over the non-payment of pensions for three months to nearly 18 lakh beneficiaries across Odisha.
He said the delay has caused severe distress among elderly citizens, widows, and persons with disabilities who depend entirely on pensions for survival.
Patnaik stated that the stoppage of pensions exposed vulnerable citizens to deprivation and even starvation. He cited reports of a woman from Ganjam district who allegedly died after being deprived of her pension benefits. He described the situation as unacceptable in a state committed to protecting its weakest citizens.
He noted that the delay reportedly occurred due to a software-related issue, calling it grave negligence and a failure of governance. Patnaik reminded that his government had ensured timely pension disbursement for 24 years through the “Jan Seva Diwas” model, where payments were made transparently at the Gram Panchayat level.
Patnaik said the citizen-centric model earned appreciation from the Supreme Court for ensuring dignity and accountability. He urged the Chief Minister to immediately release all pending pensions through manual disbursement and fix accountability for the lapse.
He emphasised that pensioners’ rights must not be compromised and urged the government to reassure beneficiaries that such delays will not recur.
