Officially declared dead in Odisha, 2,487 workers ‘come alive’, authenticate Aadhaar to avail ration
Medical officers issued death certificates for construction workers who were still alive to allow their nominees to get over ₹15 crore assistance under the Nirman Shramik Scheme, says a draft audit report
Nearly 2,500 construction workers in Odisha allegedly outsmarted the welfare system by faking their deaths, collecting death benefits, and then returning to life to claim their monthly rations, as revealed by an internal audit. The Nirman Shramik welfare scheme, which provides assistance to construction workers, saw 2,487 workers declared dead while they continued to receive subsidized food grains under the National Food Security Act and State Food Security Scheme.
In 753 cases, beneficiaries authenticated their Aadhaar biometrics to obtain ration after their official deaths. The government paid out ₹15.10 crore in death assistance, despite the workers being alive. This breach of the system, which paid out death benefits to the living, came to light during an audit of the PAReSHRAM and Nirman Shramik Portal's implementation, expected to be included in the Comptroller and Auditor General’s Audit report for 2024-2025.
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