Mayawati cracks the whip on corrupt officials

After many cases of irregularities in old-age pension disbursement surfaced in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Mayawati has directed authorities to lodge FIR against officials indulging in corrupt practices.

"Any irregularity in pension and scholarship schemes will not be tolerated and FIRs should be lodged against officers and employees indulging into corruption and they should be arrested," she said during a review meeting with the divisional commissioners yesterday.

Recently, a large number of cases of irregularities were detected in disbursement of pension in different districts of the state.

An FIR was lodged against over 5,000 people on August 15 in Sitapur after it was detected that old age pension was disbursed to 5,055 ineligible candidates on the basis of fake identification papers.

Similarly, an inquiry was ordered in Mainpuri district after complaints that old age pension was distributed among 200 ineligible candidates.

The chief minister also directed the commissioners to conduct spot verification of work being executed under Ambedkar Gram Sabha Vikas Yojna.

She asked the officers to supervise works being carried out under National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and said tough action would be taken against departments where discrepancies were reported.