Former Odisha CM slams current BJP government for disrupting pension payments

Former Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik. | Photo credit: ANI

Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik on Friday (Jun 19, 2026) urged Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to immediately ensure payment of all pending pensions directly to the nearly 18 million beneficiaries who have not received their pensions for a long time.

“Pensioners who form the most vulnerable sections of our society like senior citizens, widows and the disabled, most of whom depend on this pension for their daily survival, are not getting their dues,” Mr. Patnaik said in a letter to the Odisha CM.

He stressed: “The denial of this vital support for three consecutive months has exposed our most vulnerable citizens to severe hardship, deprivation and even the risk of starvation. There are reports that Sabitri Dora of Beguniapada, Ganjam lost her life after being deprived of her pension benefits. Such a situation is unacceptable in a state that is committed to protecting its most vulnerable citizens.”

“What is even more shocking is that this long delay is allegedly due to a software-related problem. This reflects gross negligence and abdication of the government’s basic responsibility. People’s rights cannot be left at the mercy of technological failure,” charged Mr. Patnaik.

“It is important to recall that for the last 24 years, my government ensured that pensions were distributed regularly on the 15th of every month as ‘Jan Seva Diwas’. The beneficiaries received their pensions at the Gram Panchayat level in a transparent and humane manner. In cases where the pensioners could not turn up, the officials ensured that the pension amount was delivered directly to their homes,” the former CM noted.

“This citizen-centric model has earned wide recognition and has even been honored by the Supreme Court. We have consistently resisted pressure to completely switch to a bank-based pension disbursement system as our model ensured timely delivery, personal accountability and dignity of beneficiaries,” the veteran leader said.

Mr. Patnaik said that the suspension of pension payments for three months was not just a procedural error but a serious failure of administration and urged Mr. Majhi to immediately release all pending pension payments through manual payment and ensure that such a situation never reoccurs.

Published – 20 Jun 2026 0:30 AM IST