Fake widows found drawing pension

LUCKNOW: A woman has been arrested in an Uttar Pradesh village after a local official found over two dozen women who were drawing widows' pensions from the state government though they had husbands.

Sub Divisional Magistrate Gola G. Chandra scanned the applications of all beneficiaries of widows' pensions in Padariya Tula village of Lakhimpur Kheri district last week after receiving a complaint.

"Over two dozen applications were found to be fake by Saturday and the process is still on," Chandra said.

The Widow Pension Scheme in the state offers financial assistance of Rs.125 per month to widows who are over 60.

"During investigations, we were shocked to find over two dozen women living with their husbands and availing the benefits of the scheme," Chandra revealed.

The police have arrested Mahdei, who used to collect the applications from all the villages in the block and facilitate the approval in the district probation office.

The role of probation office employees in the scam is being investigated.

"The applications and the documents of all the beneficiaries of the entire block will be scrutinised and we will also be recommending a similar exercise in the entire district," Chandra added.