Pune: PMC Deposits Pension Of Dead Teacher For Over A Year, Family Struggles To Close Account

Pune, 10th March 2023: The accounts department of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has deposited lakhs of rupees in the pension account of a retired teacher, Meerabai Kaluram Lokhande, who passed away over a year ago.

Despite the family submitting the teacher’s death certificate to the corporation’s education department, the pension amount continued to be deposited in her account. Lokhande, who was the wife of a freedom fighter, worked as a teacher at the PMC Girls’ School in Raviwar Peth, retiring in 1991.

According to Prasad Salavi, Lokhande’s grandson, the family submitted the pension book and bank passbook to the PMC’s accounts section upon her death, but the officer in charge did not update them on the software. The family only realized a year later that the pension amount was still being credited to Lokhande’s account. When they approached the bank to close the account, they were asked to provide a letter from the PMC’s accounts department. However, the department officials have been unresponsive to their requests.

The issue has brought to light the PMC’s negligent administration, and the family is distressed about the harassment they have faced. PMC Chief Accounts and Finance Officer Ulka Kalaskar has called for the recovery of the deposited pension amount and for strong action against the guilty staff. Administrative action has been taken against the officials responsible for the negligence.

PMC Education Officer Meenakshi Raut has apologized to the family for the mental stress caused and has ordered the closure of the pension account.

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