Durga Devi died about 18 months ago. However, Durga Devi´s name has not been removed from the list of elderly people entitled to social security allowances.[break]
Locals say Itahara Village Development Committee (VDC) staffers are themselves guzzling monthly allowances meant for Durga Devi by deliberately not delisting her name.
Republica has found that the Itahara VDC is distributing monthly allowances to at least 25 elderly persons who are no longer alive. The Itahara VDC staffers say the kin of the dead are receiving allowances by not obtaining their death certificates.
However, locals rubbish the allegations.
“We have asked the kin of those elderly who are no longer alive. They say they have not received allowances,” says Ganga Limbu, a resident of Itahara-6. “Not only in the name of dead ones, the VDC staffers are gobbling allowances by registering some elderly persons´ names in two different ward committees.”
However, VDC secretary Rabindra Karki says, “It may be true that some people are receiving money from two ward committees by deceiving us. But, we have not taken the money released in the name of the dead.”
Rs 243 million have been allocated for the Itahara VDC under the government´s social security program this year. Around 1,100 elderly people, Dalits and single women are entitled to allowances in this village.
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