Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 27 (IANS): A detailed inspection done over the way the Kerala government's monthly Rs 1,600 social welfare pension is being distributed has revealed that the amount is also being taken by at least 1,458 serving government officials including Gazetted officers.

According to estimates, a sum of Rs 23 lakh has been used to pay even the serving government officials.

These shocking details surfaced when the Finance Department asked for an inspection to look into this and on perusal it has surfaced that serving government officials are among those who are currently getting the Rs 1,600 monthly social welfare pension which should ideally go to the needy, down-trodden and the under-privileged.

Among those who are currently getting the pension include school and college teachers, employees working in the health and other departments of the state government .

After learning about the blatant violation of the rules, Kerala Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal called for strict action into the matter, and also recommended recovery of the amount with interest. He has also ordered disciplinary action against the wrong-doers.

In Kerala, there are around six million (60 lakh) people who get a monthly social welfare pension and at times it goes into arrears too, since the state government exchequer is currently in dire straits.

B. Alwyn Prakash, former chairman of the State Finance Commission, said that the need of the hour is a fool-proof audit of the entire social welfare pension.

CPI-M state secretary M.V. Govindan said "now that this has come out, let further action start as there are chances of government officials doing such things".

Meanwhile, sources aware of the development said that the process of verification will continue to ensure that all the ineligible beneficiaries are identified and removed from the beneficiary list.

The Finance Department, over the years, has put in a process to filter the ineligible beneficiaries so that the amount is sent to the ones who fit into the criteria.