1. The CAG of India identified major flaws in Assam’s implementation of the PM-KISAN scheme.
2. 35% of applicants in the state were found to be ineligible for the scheme.
3. Only 0.24% of the funds disbursed to ineligible recipients have been recovered.
Guwahati, Sep 04: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has uncovered significant flaws in the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme in Assam.
According to a performance audit, 35% of applicants in the state were found to be ineligible, with only a mere 0.24% of the funds provided to these ineligible recipients being recovered.
This revelation raises serious concerns about the scheme’s administration in Assam, where it is intended to provide financial aid to small and marginal farmers.
The audit, which examined the period from December 2018 to March 2021, discovered that out of 41,87,023 applications, 10,66,593 (25%) were rejected by the PM-KISAN portal and the Public Financial Management System.
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Additionally, a state government inquiry from May to July 2020 identified 11,72,685 (37%) out of 31,20,430 beneficiaries as ineligible, yet only 0.24% of the disbursed funds were recovered by October 2021.
The CAG report, presented in the state assembly, also revealed that during verification from May to July 2020, 15,59,286 ineligible names were found.
These included non-farmers, government employees, pensioners, and duplicate entries. Alarmingly, 72.54% of these ineligible beneficiaries were untraceable. The state government noted that these figures were dynamic due to ongoing verification.
The audit, conducted in 10 districts, highlighted a lack of monitoring and adherence to guidelines.
In Barpeta, a district with a high number of ineligible beneficiaries, 990 records from 22 blocks in 11 districts were examined.
The audit revealed that the state focused more on quickly uploading data rather than ensuring the eligibility of beneficiaries. The lack of monitoring by supervisory officers further compromised the scheme’s effectiveness.
Additionally, the audit uncovered instances of fake registration numbers being created by adding zeros to bank account numbers, resulting in multiple payments being credited to the same account.
In 16 out of 33 districts, 3,577 such registrations received a total of Rs 3.01 crore.
Multiple registrations linked to the same bank account were found for 3,104 beneficiaries in 10 districts, though no benefits were released. Funds were also disbursed to beneficiaries with jumbled names or special characters.
Out of the Rs 2.18 crore allocated for administrative expenses, only Rs 77 lakh was accounted for through a utilization certificate submitted to the Government of India by October 2021.
The audit further noted that physical verification of beneficiaries by supervisory officers was not prioritized, violating guidelines and reflecting ineffective monitoring.
The state government acknowledged the audit findings and reported in February 2022 that 100% re-verification had been conducted since June 2021 under the supervision of revenue officials, deputy commissioners, and the Principal Secretary of the Sixth Schedule areas.
