From ineligible beneficiaries to poor recovery of funds, CAG detects lapses in PM-KISAN in Assam

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 conducted by the CAG, a staggering 35 per cent of the applicants for the scheme in the state were found ineligible, and a mere 0.24 per cent of the funds released to these non-entitled beneficiaries have been recovered. This raises serious concerns about the scheme's management and execution in Assam, where the scheme was intended to provide financial support to small and marginal farmers.

A performance audit of the scheme from December 2018 to March 2021 found that out of the 41,87,023 applications from the state, 10,66,593 (25 per cent) were rejected by PM-KISAN portal and Public Financial Management System.

Subsequently, the state government declared that 11,72,685 (37 per cent) out of the 31,20,430 beneficiaries were ineligible through an inquiry conducted from MayJuly 2020 across the state.

A mere 0.24 per cent of the funds released to these ineligible beneficiaries were received back till October 2021, which was not refunded to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, the CAG report, tabled in the state assembly recently, said.

The CAG report also pointed out that the inquiry initiated in May 2020 on order of the chief minister, following complaints from different quarters regarding anomalies in the beneficiaries list, had found 15,59,286 ineligible names during verification across the state from May to July 2020.