In one of his sharpest attacks yet on the ruling BJP government, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has painted a grim picture of Odisha’s vulnerable citizens, claiming that people are literally dying due to prolonged delays in pension payments.
Sharing a strongly worded statement on X, Patnaik said, “It is extremely heartbreaking that people are dying for the sake of pensions. What is the use of the BJP government in Odisha, which has completed 2 years?”He detailed the suffering: “For more than three months, lakhs of people in the state have been facing widespread problems without receiving pensions under social security. News of people losing their lives for pensions is dominating headlines in the media, which is extremely unfortunate.”
Patnaik accused the BJP of coming to power on “false promises of increasing pensions” during elections, only to fail even in delivering existing benefits. “This has pushed many elderly people and aunts into frustration and agony,” he said, describing how beneficiaries who depend entirely on these pensions are unable to buy life-saving medicines and are going hungry.
The statement comes amid reports of suicides linked to the crisis, including the tragic case of a widow in Ganjam district who allegedly took her life after three months without support.
ଭତ୍ତା ପାଇଁ ଲୋକେ ନୟାନ୍ତ ହେବା ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଦୁଃଖଦାୟକ। ୨ ବର୍ଷ ପୂରଣ କରିଥିବା ବିଜେପି ସରକାରର ଏଇଆ କ’ଣ ଫାଇଦା?
ତିନି ମାସରୁ ଅଧିକ ସମୟ ଧରି ରାଜ୍ୟର ଲକ୍ଷ ଲକ୍ଷ ଲୋକ ସାମାଜିକ ସୁରକ୍ଷା ଅଧୀନରେ ଭତ୍ତା ନ ପାଇ ବ୍ୟାପକ ସମସ୍ୟାର ସାମ୍ନା କରୁଛନ୍ତି। ଭତ୍ତା ପାଇଁ ଲୋକ ଜୀବନ ହାରିବା ପରି ଖବର ମଧ୍ୟ ଗଣମାଧ୍ୟମର ଶିରୋନାମା ପାଲଟିଛି; ଯାହା…
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) June 18, 2026
Government’s Stand
SSEPD Minister Nityananda Gond and the administration have repeatedly attributed the delays to technical glitches from software upgrades on central portals like SNA SPARSH. They have assured that the issue will be resolved within days to 10-15 days, with all pending amounts (up to three months) paid in a single instalment. Plans are also underway to add over 6 lakh new beneficiaries and enable automatic enrollment at age 60.
CM Mohan Majhi’s government has emphasised reforms to remove ineligible or “ghost” beneficiaries from the previous regime, aiming for better targeting and transparency in the long run.
Political Fallout
The pension row has triggered protests by elderly citizens and widows across districts. BJD leaders and workers are using the issue to highlight what they call “fiscal mismanagement” under BJP rule, contrasting it with the BJD era’s record of timely doorstep deliveries.
As lakhs of Odisha’s most vulnerable wait in distress, Patnaik urged CM Mohan Charan Majhi to “intervene immediately and ensure the people’s social security”.
Will quick disbursal of arrears cool public anger, or will it fuel further opposition momentum?
