Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has decided to take strict action against the people who illegally received welfare pension. A meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan took a decision in this regard. As per the decision, the finance department will take action to recover the full amount distributed to the ineligible people so far. The interest of the disbursed amount will also be levied from them. 

Finance Minister KN Balagopal and minister for local self-governments MB Rajesh attended the meeting held on Saturday. Though no centralised probe was ordered, the higher-level meeting decided to take disciplinary actions against the officials over the fraud. Officials who are facing charges of irregularities and alleged negligence in identifying the beneficiaries of the pension scheme will face a departmental inquiry. 

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In order to check such fraudulence in future, the government will introduce face authorisation and annual mustering to confirm the eligible people and avoid deceased people from the list. 

The Chief Minister intervened in the issue after government officers, service pensioners and luxury car owners were found among the welfare pension beneficiaries in Malappuram's Kottakkal municipality. 

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A monthly pension of Rs 1600 is being given to widows, senior citizens and differently abled people under the government's social security pension scheme. 

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