Kerala to take over orphaned money'

Thiruvananthapuram: Demonetisation might turn out to be benediction for dead souls. The modest savings of poor old people who had spend their last days in state-run destitute homes will finally be transferred to The State Government’s accounts. At the moment, these minor treasures that were discovered among the possessions of dead inmates are kept in the ‘chest’ of old-age homes. The Social Justice Department has not taken stock of the accumulated money but sources said “orphaned savings” in all the 15 old-age homes in the state would not exceed Rs 50,000.

“Till now we had not given a thought to this money. It remains forgotten in the ‘chests’ of the welfare homes. Though these were destitute people, we reckon some of these notes will be Rs 500 and Rs 1000. They had painstakingly saved it over the years, perhaps for their children or grandchildren. It has to be exchanged for legal tender or it will be unfair to the dead,” a top Social Justice official said. “The money is with us because no family member had come to claim it right after the deaths. The only way open to us now is to transfer it to the government’s accounts,” the official added.

The abandoned old, even the most destitute among them, enter an old-age home with some savings with them; it could be in the form of cash or gold. “Some hand over their savings to us but many, for some nostalgic reason or for want of trust, prefer to keep it close to them, hidden underneath their boxes, beds or bags. Such money comes to our notice only after their deaths,” said Ms Santhamma, a former home superintendent who had worked in many welfare homes.

The recovered treasure is returned to close family members in the presence of witnesses, mostly local body representatives. If no relative turns up, the cash is placed in the ‘chest’ of the home and the gold is transferred to a bank locker. “The understanding is that if an old person dies unclaimed, the state inherits the person's life savings,” the official said.