Bhubaneswar: After a prolonged wait, over 17.6 lakh social security pension beneficiaries across Odisha have finally received their April and May dues, as the State government credited the funds directly to their bank accounts. With June payments also being processed, the move has brought significant relief to thousands of families dependent on the monthly assistance.
Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Minister Nityananda Gond informed that pensions have been released to 17,60,435 beneficiaries, including elderly persons, widows, and persons with disabilities. Nearly 91.5% of total beneficiaries have already received the two months’ pension in their accounts, while the remainder are expected to be processed after completing necessary banking and technical formalities. The process of disbursing pension assistance for June has begun and steps are being taken to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries receive the funds within the stipulated timeframe, he added.
The disbursals mark the end of a prolonged period of financial hardship for many impoverished families who depend on these stipends, typically around Rs 1,000 per month, for essentials like food and medicine. The delays, which stretched for three months, were primarily attributed to technical glitches and software issues in the central processing portal, including challenges linked to systems like SPARSH.
The pension crisis ignited a sharp political slugfest in the State. Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had strongly criticised the BJP-led government, describing the non-disbursal as a “serious failure of governance” and “grave negligence.” He highlighted that under his previous administration, pensions were reliably disbursed by the 15th of each month—often observed as ‘Jan Seva Diwas’ with doorstep delivery for those in need.
Naveen had also urged immediate manual disbursal until technical issues were resolved and pointed to reports of extreme distress, including the alleged suicide of a 66-year-old widow in Ganjam’s Beguniapada block due to acute poverty exacerbated by the delays.
BJD leaders also threatened statewide agitation, accusing the government of disrupting a well-functioning system. Congress and other voices echoed calls for accountability, questioning over-reliance on digital platforms and urging direct intervention by district collectors.