Hyderabad: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), in a report tabled in the assembly on Monday, has found over 7,300 cases between 2019–20 and 2021–22 where childbirth dates under the KCR Kit scheme were recorded as preceding the declared marriage dates under the Kalyana Lakshmi scheme.This discrepancy raised serious concerns about data accuracy and verification. The CAG noted that, in all these cases, the husband’s name matched across records, suggesting that the marriages may have taken place earlier than officially declared.The findings also point to the possible use of false marriage certificates to avail benefits. Consequently, financial assistance amounting to Rs 72.91 crore across these cases was deemed irregular. Of this, 1,917 cases, involving Rs 19.15 crore, were identified during scrutiny at revenue divisional offices.In addition to these inconsistencies, the report flagged inclusion errors in the Kalyana Lakshmi scheme, which provides Rs 1 lakh in assistance to brides from economically weaker sections. The KCR Kit scheme, on the other hand, is intended to support newborns and their mothers.A total of 5,522 ineligible beneficiaries were found to have received aid. These included underage brides, applicants from families exceeding the prescribed income limit, and individuals whose marriages took place prior to the scheme’s introduction.The report also highlighted a structural flaw in the system. While Aadhaar-based validation is used for brides to prevent duplicate claims, no equivalent mechanism exists for bridegrooms. This gap has enabled multiple claims to be linked to the same individual.Data analysis revealed instances in which two brides were associated with the same bridegroom, raising concerns about potential misuse. Some of these cases involved unverified second marriages, lacking supporting documentation such as divorce records.Further, the CAG pointed to the absence of an effective communication system to inform applicants about approvals, rejections, or cheque disbursal. As a result, many beneficiaries were compelled to make repeated visits to local offices to track their application status. The lack of direct online fund transfers has also contributed to delays and reduced transparency.Weak monitoring and reporting mechanisms were another concern, limiting accountability and slowing corrective action.To address these issues, the CAG recommended stronger system integration and real-time data cross-verification across schemes. It also called for Aadhaar validation for bridegrooms, mandatory documentation in cases of second marriages, and clear accountability for administrative lapses.Measures such as direct benefit transfers and timely digital updates to beneficiaries were also suggested to improve transparency and efficiency in service delivery.
