MLA Dr. Tseilhoutuo Rhutso flags pension irregularities, seeks Aadhaar-linked verification drive

Kohima, 1^st September, 2026 (Nokinketer News): MLA Dr. Tseilhoutuo Rhutso on Tuesday raised concerns over alleged irregularities in the disbursement of pensions in Nagaland and called for a comprehensive overhaul of the state’s pension verification system to plug leakages and protect the rights of genuine beneficiaries.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour under Rule 49 on the opening day of the ninth session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Rhutso said pension was “not a gift but a right earned through decades of government service” and that the state had a moral and constitutional responsibility to ensure pensioners receive their dues on time and with dignity.

Placing official figures before the House, the MLA said 63,370 retired government employees and nominees are currently receiving pensions through two channels — the State Treasury and the State Bank of India’s Computerised Pension Processing Centre (CPPC).

Of the total, 31,714 pensioners receive pensions through the CPPC, while 31,656 are covered under the State Treasury, including 20,406 life pensioners and 11,250 family pensioners.

Rhutso said the largest number of pensioners falls in the 60-69 age group, with 12,885 under the CPPC and 13,520 under the Treasury. He also noted that 19 pensioners aged above 100 years continue to receive pensions through the two systems.

On family pensions, he informed the House that benefits are being paid to 10,176 spouses — comprising 755 husbands and 9,421 wives — besides 734 dependent children, including 400 sons and 334 daughters. He said 39 children with disabilities are also receiving family pensions.

Highlighting the growing financial burden on the state, Rhutso said expenditure on life and family pensions rose from Rs 2,429.56 crore in 2023-24 to Rs 2,633.24 crore in 2024-25 and further to Rs 2,679.12 crore in 2025-26. The state has already spent Rs 1,049.63 crore on pensions till July of the current financial year, he added.

The MLA alleged that several loopholes continue to plague the pension system. These include delayed reporting of pensioners’ deaths, allowing pensions to be drawn for up to 10 or 11 months after death, delayed submission of death certificates to claim arrears, unverified remarriage of family pensioners and possible duplication of pension payments between the CPPC and Treasury records.

He also flagged the absence of an effective mechanism to verify pensioners residing outside Nagaland and alleged misuse of forged marriage, death and disability certificates to claim pension benefits.

Rhutso further sought clarification on whether dependent parents of a deceased government employee should be entitled to family pension if both parents are themselves retired government employees drawing pensions.

Warning that even a small percentage of fraudulent claims could place a significant burden on the state exchequer, he said Nagaland’s economy is largely driven by salaries and pensions, which account for a substantial share of government expenditure.

To address the issue, the MLA proposed a time-bound Aadhaar-linked biometric verification of all pensioners through the Jeevan Pramaan digital life certificate system. He also suggested constituting a high-level committee under the Finance Department, with representatives from the Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department, the Directorate of Treasuries and the Office of the Accountant General, to conduct a comprehensive audit of pension records.

Among other recommendations, Rhutso called for the creation of a centralised online pension portal for Nagaland, coordination with Accountant Generals of other states to verify pensioners residing outside Nagaland and withholding pension payments until verification is completed where required.

He also proposed mandatory updating of details relating to spouses and dependants once every 10 years and sought strict action against officials, religious leaders or judicial officers found issuing or facilitating fraudulent documents for securing pension benefits.

The MLA further suggested that the Assembly consider fixing a deadline, such as December 31, 2026, or the end of the 2026-27 financial year, for voluntary disclosure of fraudulent pension drawals. Under the proposal, amounts drawn before the cut-off date could be condoned, while any fraudulent claims made thereafter would be recovered. Clarifying that his intervention was not aimed at genuine pensioners or the government, Rhutso said the objective was to eliminate fraudulent claims, safeguard the rights and dignity of legitimate beneficiaries and ensure better utilisation of public funds. He urged the House to direct the concerned departments to initiate corrective measures at the earliest.

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