Over 13 lakh fake old age pension beneficiaries

CHENNAI: State Revenue Minister P Thangamani on Thursday told the Assembly that over the past five years, 13.65 lakh persons who had been listed as beneficiaries of the old age pension scheme were either ineligible for pension or did not exist.
Intervening during Puthiya Tamizhagam member K Krishnasamy's speech on the motion of thanks to the Governor's address, Thangamani said: "During the previous DMK regime, among the beneficiaries under the old age pension scheme, 13.65 lakh persons were ineligible and fake. An enquiry is being conducted into the issue."Earlier, Krishnasamy had mentioned that rather than going in for several new schemes, it would be sufficient if schemes like old age pension and aid for widows, destitute and disabled were implemented in full.