These parasites should be pruned

What could be more shameful for the state of Kerala than the fact that a section of government employees have unfairly pilfered the nominal social security pension amount meant for the most vulnerable sections of society? The loss to the public exchequer caused by 1,458 government employees, including college teachers and gazetted officials who draw a monthly salary of about one lakh rupees, is more than two and a half crore rupees per year due to the unjust theft of the pension amount of the poor. Finance Minister KN Balagopal has stated that Kerala will be shocked if the names and details of the inspection conducted by the Information Kerala Mission as per the instructions of the Finance Department are revealed. If the details of such greedy people who lack the essentials of humanity like conscience, compassion, empathy, and love for fellow beings are shocking when they reach the public eye, then so be it. The transparent Kerala of sympathy and equality will be the land that emerges after those shocks. This serious attitude and actions of stealing anyone's money through illegal means cannot be understated by saying that only a very small number of employees have committed the offence. This fraud gang should not be allowed to escape by simply returning the amount they have undeservedly obtained by pleading it happened due to technical errors or official faults.

In reality, all these welfare pensions are received directly or through a bank account. To be eligible for them, one must appear in person for mustering. Apart from that, they also receive this amount every month. If these employees are not able to identify where this is coming from, then they are not fit for governmental duties. If they do know, then they should not be given government jobs, but severe punishment. Because the actions of these employees have betrayed the public's trust. They have misused the pension system that was set up to support the most vulnerable people in society. This type of corruption undermines not only the effectiveness of social welfare programs but also the public trust in government institutions. The government should be prepared to announce a thorough investigation and punish the perpetrators in an exemplary manner to ensure that no one else repeats this.The investigation by the Information Kerala Mission that uncovered this fraud and the initiative of the Finance Department that led it are commendable. At the same time, the fact that such a large-scale fraud went undetected for so long points to the inadequacies and shortcomings of the government's audit systems. The inspection processes and monitoring systems need to be comprehensively overhauled to prevent such abuses in the future. Regular audits and reporting need to be revised with time. The government should be able to make use of technological systems to make the work of employees smooth and transparent.

This fraud was revealed through the inspection of ‘Sevana’ and ‘Spark’ software. Ensuring transparency and effectiveness of social welfare schemes is crucial to maintaining public trust and ensuring justice for those who need it most. The Finance Minister and the Revenue Minister assure that the government will show that vigilance and responsibility well. This incident also rings alarm bells about the ethics we hold, as individuals and society, who must live in harmony beyond all systems. This misuse of power and resources is not only a legal issue but also a moral one. Corruption, economic injustice, contempt for the poor, and the greed to snatch their wealth reveal the morbidity of social life. The priority ration cards reserved for the poor are being used by tens of thousands of rich people and government employees. It is also common to embezzle undeserved money from the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme by preparing fake cards and documents. Moreover, a few officials assigned to serve the victims of the Wayanad landslide spent lakhs on accommodation even when the former’s monthly rent was not paid. Justice can only be achieved when people refrain from crime not only under force of law but also under moral compulsion. This incident reminds us once again that ethical lessons that hold vulnerable fellow beings together with tenderness are essential.