Odisha Social Security Pension Delay Triggers Political Slugfest Patnaik Calls It Governance Failure

The continued delay in paying social security pensions has triggered a political slugfest in the state, with former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik calling it a “governance failure”.

Nearly 20 lakh beneficiaries covered under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) — elderly citizens, widows and persons with disabilities — have not received their monthly pension of Rs 1,000 for the last three months, causing widespread distress and protests.

There are also reports of an elderly woman dying by suicide over the delay in pension distribution in Ganjam district, though the administration has not officially confirmed it. In a letter to Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi, Patnaik said such a situation is unacceptable in a state committed to protecting its weakest citizens.

The state government attributed the delay to software-related issues on the part of the Union government.

Patnaik said the denial of this vital support for three consecutive months has exposed the most vulnerable citizens to severe distress, deprivation and even the risk of starvation.

Citing the delay due to software-related issues, Patnaik said it reflects grave negligence and an abdication of the government’s basic responsibility, as people’s rights cannot be left at the mercy of technological failures.

“The stoppage of pensions for three months is not merely a procedural lapse; it represents a serious failure of governance,” said Patnaik.

Highlighting the practice during the BJD regime, when pensions were distributed regularly on the 15th of every month at the panchayat level and, in some cases, at beneficiaries’ doorsteps, Patnaik said his government consistently resisted pressure to shift entirely to the bank-based pension disbursement system because the model ensured timely delivery, personal accountability and dignity for beneficiaries.

The former chief minister said the BJD’s model of social security pension distribution was widely appreciated and even commended by the Supreme Court.

BJP’s Berhampur MP Pradeep Panigrahy also drew the Odisha chief minister’s attention to the delay, saying it has triggered widespread public resentment at the grassroots.

In a letter to Majhi, the Berhampur MP demanded pension disbursal in cash until the software-related issues are resolved and urged the government to direct district collectors to personally monitor the situation.

Panigrahy also demanded a thorough investigation into the allegation that a woman in Ganjam district died due to the delay in pension disbursal.

Sujit Bisoyi is a Special Correspondent with the Indian Express and covers Odisha. His interests are in politics, policy and people’s stories. He tweets at @bisoyisujit87 ... Read More