IT News
Imphal, Mar 4:
A recent audit of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme in Manipur has uncovered large-scale irregularities, revealing that 1,91,244 beneficiaries—accounting for 32.29% of the total 5,92,290 registered—were wrongly enrolled due to various reasons. The findings raise serious concerns about the lack of system controls and monitoring within the scheme’s implementation.
The audit disclosed that an amount of Rs. 10.03 crore had been disbursed to beneficiaries who were fraudulently registered using government employee user IDs. Of the 1,91,244 wrongly enrolled beneficiaries, 94,639 beneficiaries were enrolled through fraudulent use of Government Employees’ User IDs of the State Nodal Officer (SNO). Another 92,924 beneficiaries lacked supporting documents such as land records and bank passbooks. A total of 3,105 beneficiaries were flagged as ineligible by the Department, while 1,296 beneficiaries were identified as income tax payees, making them ineligible for the scheme.
A detailed scrutiny of PM-KISAN data found that 2,26,340 beneficiaries were registered across five districts—Thoubal, Kakching, Bishnupur, Imphal West, and Imphal East. Shockingly, 93,919 of them were ineligible and registered using fraudulent means.
The Agriculture Department, Government of Manipur, identified 29,086 ineligible beneficiaries registered through the fraudulent use of government employee user IDs. The highest number of fraudulent cases was detected in Thoubal district with 28,540 cases, followed by Bishnupur, Imphal West, and Imphal East. A total of Rs. 3.20 crore was disbursed to these wrongly enrolled beneficiaries.
Further analysis by auditors detected an additional 64,833 ineligible beneficiaries. A significant number of cases were found in Kakching district, with 31,784 cases accounting for 49.02% of the total fraudulent entries. Thoubal district followed with 27,621 cases, representing 42.60%. Imphal West district had 2,526 cases, Imphal East district had 2,507 cases, while Bishnupur district recorded 395 cases. An estimated Rs. 6.83 crore had been paid to these beneficiaries through fraudulent means.
As per information, two First Information Reports (FIRs) were filed in connection with the fraudulent registrations in July 2020. However, as of March 2023, no outcome had been reported. The audit report highlights a well-planned fraudulent modus operandi, enabling ineligible individuals to wrongfully benefit from the scheme.
The audit further criticized the lack of system controls and monitoring in preventing fraudulent entries. It found no mechanism in place to control unauthorized use of government employee user IDs, indicating a serious system infiltration that must be addressed. Additionally, data validation was not conducted as per prescribed norms, leaving the system vulnerable to exploitation.
The audit findings expose serious loopholes in the PM-KISAN scheme’s implementation in Manipur. The large-scale fraudulent registrations and disbursal of funds to ineligible beneficiaries underscore the need for urgent reforms, including better data validation, monitoring mechanisms, and strict enforcement of system controls to prevent such misuse in the future. Authorities must take immediate action to recover the misappropriated funds and hold those responsible accountable.