Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday wrote a letter to Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik, requesting him to reconsider his decision of cash payment of old age pension and pension for widows and disabled persons.

“Cash payments historically have tendencies to spur corruption, pilferage, and exploitation of beneficiaries by the middlemen. The decision of the government of Odisha may revive these grim scenarios adding burdens to our elder citizens already grappling with the hardship of old age. I urge you to continue the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism for pension to old age, widow and divyangs,” Pradhan wrote in the letter.

Pradhan said that due to the implementation of DBT in government payments the Odisha government was able to eliminate ghost and fake beneficiaries and save ₹459.96 crore in the 2021-22. He also said that there are 82, 261 banking correspondents across the state who can reach out to the beneficiaries rather than them coming to the bank.