Bhubaneswar: More than 2,400 construction workers who were officially declared dead and some of whose nominees received death benefits continued to avail subsidised foodgrains under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and State Food Security Scheme (SFSS), using Aadhaar-based biometric authentication, a draft audit report has revealed.The draft audit of PAReSHRAM, the Labour and ESI department’s digital platform, and the Nirman Shramik Portal of the Odisha Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board, proposed to be included in a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, flagged what appears to be large-scale irregularities in the disbursement of death benefits to registered construction workers.According to the audit, an analysis of data obtained from the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare department showed that 2,487 beneficiaries recorded as deceased under the Nirman Shramik scheme continued to receive ration under NFSA and SFSS after their reported dates of death through Aadhaar authentication.The audit further found that in 753 cases, death benefits worth Rs 15.10 crore were disbursed to nominees even though the beneficiaries subsequently authenticated their Aadhaar biometrically and continued to draw subsidised foodgrains.Under the NFSA and SFSS, eligible beneficiaries receive subsidised foodgrains through the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS). Distribution requires Aadhaar authentication through any of the prescribed verification methods.“This implies that the beneficiary was alive and authenticating his/her Aadhaar physically to avail ration, indicating fraudulent disbursement of death benefits,” the audit observed.“It also indicates that medical officers issued death certificates against alive persons,” it added.Seeking the state’s response, the audit authority asked the govt to furnish comments, including confirmation of the facts and figures cited in the draft report. The communication stated that the findings were interim in nature and could change based on responses from the audited entities and the department concerned.
