KARGIL, MAY 10, 2021: The Union Territory Administration of Ladakh since its formation vociferously claimed that there is abundance of funds in the new administrative setup. However, the sufferings of the retired government employees, who have not received their pension since March this year, tell a different narrative about the funds in UT Ladakh.

The UT Administration has not released the Pension funds to the Jammu and Kashmir Bank since last two years that means since formation of UT in 2019. The J&K Bank in turn has halted Pension of beneficiaries since March 2021.

Speaking to the Voice of Ladakh on this issue, Kargil Cluster Head Jammu and Kashmir Bank Dorjay Angchuk said that the Finance Department of UT Ladakh has not released the pension funds to the bank.

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Explaining more on the issue, Dorjay said that the responsibility to provide pension to retired government employees is that of UT Administration and not on the Bank. The funds have not released by the UT Ladakh Administration. It will be released to the beneficiary’s accounts immediately once it is released to the Bank.

In the last two years the UT Administration has not released Pension fund to the bank, however, the bank in advance has released a total of Rs 180 Crore to beneficiaries in all over Ladakh out of which Rs 60 Crore has been released to beneficiaries in District Kargil. To release their already paid amount, the Bank approached to the UT Administration time to time, but no gain.

In this regard, Voice of Ladakh correspondent tried many times to reach to the Directorate of Accounts and Treasuries Amit Singh Chandal on phone but he was not available to speak.

In this regard General Secretary Retired Police Association Haji Ali Rahim and many other retired government officials told to this office that the hold of their Pension has caused them financial crisis. Because most of the employees, who are aged, have no other source of income to meet their daily needs.

As the month of Ramazan is also counting on and Eid is being celebrated in 4-5 days, the employees appealed the UT Ladakh and LAHDC administrations in both the districts to immediately release their pension funds to ease their sufferings.