Muzaffarpur: A case of alleged administrative negligence has emerged from the Brahmpura police station area of Muzaffarpur, where a 75-year-old woman was reportedly declared dead in government records despite being alive.
Pavitar Devi, a resident of the area near Sanjay Cinema, said she had been receiving benefits under the Mukhyamantri Vridhjan Pension Yojana. However, her pension payments have not been credited to her bank account for the past three months.
According to Pavitar Devi, inquiries into the matter revealed that she had been marked as deceased during a departmental verification exercise. As a result, her pension benefits were suspended.
Pension Halted After Verification Process
The elderly woman said she was not informed before the change was made in official records. She claimed that she learned about the issue only after the pension payments stopped arriving in her account.
Pavitar Devi stated that she has visited several government offices in an effort to correct the records and restore her pension. Despite repeated representations, she said no resolution has been provided so far.
The pension scheme serves as an important source of financial support for senior citizens. Following the suspension of her benefits, Pavitar Devi said she has been facing financial difficulties and is managing her daily expenses by working in other people’s homes.
Human Rights Complaint Filed
Human rights advocate S.K. Jha has described the matter as a serious administrative lapse and questioned the functioning of the district administration.
According to Jha, multiple complaints regarding the issue did not result in corrective action. He said the matter has now been taken before the National Human Rights Commission and the Bihar State Human Rights Commission in Patna.
The petition seeks the immediate restoration of Pavitar Devi’s pension and action against officials found responsible for the alleged error.
Questions Raised Over Verification System
Residents of the area said similar cases have surfaced in the past, where living individuals were allegedly recorded as deceased in official databases.
The incident has renewed concerns about the accuracy of government verification mechanisms and digital record management systems. Administrative authorities are examining the matter, while Pavitar Devi continues to await correction of the records and restoration of her pension benefits.
