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Odisha probes sudden spike in birthdates of voters
Odisha is investigating a spike in altered voter ID birthdates after the new rule bumped pensions for people over 80 to ₹3,500.
The sudden jump in suspicious IDs has officials worried that some are faking their age to get extra money.
Minister warns strict action against cheaters
To stop fraud, the Social Security department wants district collectors to double-check ages by comparing current and old voter IDs.
Out of about 56 lakh pensioners in Odisha, only around three lakh actually qualify for the higher payout.
Minister Nityananda Gond has warned that anyone caught cheating will face strict action, emphasizing that these checks are necessary to ensure benefits go to eligible recipients.