The Government has
decided to transfer accounts of Central Freedom Fighter Pensioners from State
Bank of India to other banks – authorized for the purpose, for disbursal of
Central Freedom Fighter Pension due to certain irregularities on the part of
SBI like paying pension to more than 3,000 dead pensioners for many years after
their death, payment of wrong amount of pension to many pensioners, delayed
payment of revised Dearness Relief, loss of more than 1,100 original
disburser’s portion of PPOs. On account of these irregularities more than Rs.16
crore has already been recovered from State Bank of India. In order to avoid
any hardship to the pensioners, they have been advised to open account in any
bank of their choice, from the authorized banks for the purpose and the banks
have also been advised to approach such pensioners and open their accounts on
priority by 30.06.2015. In respect of those pensioners, who have not opened new
account in other banks till 30.06.2015, the SBI will continue to disburse their
pension so that the pensioners may not face any hardship.
This was stated by the
Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju in a written reply to a
question by Shri T. Rathinavel in the Rajya Sabha today.
PIB