25K pensioners ineligible? Punjab adviser wants count reviewed
The newly appointed Chief Adviser (Fiscal Affairs) to the Punjab Government, Arbind Modi, has sought a review of the number of pensioners in the state. In his first meeting with officials and senior functionaries of the Finance Department, Modi reportedly expressed apprehension that the number of pensioners in the state was too high and the same should be reviewed to weed out persons wrongly claiming pension on behalf of their kin, when they were eligible for only family pension.
There are three lakh pensioners in the state and the monthly outgo towards the payment of pensions and other retirement benefits is Rs 1,650 crore. The annual pension bill of the state is expected to increase by Rs 1,000 crore. According to the Chief Adviser, the number of pensioners should be about 2.75 lakh, official sources told The Tribune.
Modi, a retired IRS officer, who was also a member of the Central Board of Direct Taxes, was appointed as the Chief Adviser on October 11. Along with another retired IRS officer, Sebastian James, they have been tasked to advise the state on resource mobilisation, review capital and revenue expenditure and its rationalisation, augmentation of finances and restructuring of the fiscal debt.
Representatives of three main pension disbursing banks (SBI, PNB and Canara Bank) were present at the meeting. These bankers reportedly said there could be no discrepancy in the number of pensioners as life certificates were sought from them every year. Meanwhile, the state government has asked the bankers to re-verify the number of pensioners by seeking copies of their Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, information about their last pay and date of superannuation.
Discussions were held on no GST charged on the commission (Rs 46 per quintal) being paid to arhtiyas involved in procurement, which otherwise entails an 18 per cent GST; no GST being imposed on industrial land leased by the PSIDC; and, why Punjab was giving 300 units free power, while Delhi just 200 units.
