Audit Exposes Flaws in Assam’s PM-KISAN Scheme Implementation

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audit has uncovered significant issues in the implementation of the PM-KISAN scheme in Assam. Findings revealed a high number of ineligible beneficiaries and deficient fund recovery, leading to inefficiencies in the scheme's operation. The state government has acknowledged the issues and initiated re-verifications.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has highlighted serious flaws in the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme in Assam. A performance audit conducted between December 2018 and March 2021 revealed that 35% of applicants were ineligible, and only a minimal 0.24% of funds disbursed to these beneficiaries were recovered.

The state government's verification in mid-2020 identified that out of 31,20,430 beneficiaries, 37% were ineligible. Despite this, only a small fraction of the wrongly disbursed funds were returned, and these were not reimbursed to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

The CAG audit further disclosed discrepancies in the number of ineligible beneficiaries reported by state officials and verification results. It pointed to multiple registration irregularities and poor monitoring, hampering the scheme's effectiveness. The state is now undergoing 100% re-verification to correct these issues.

(With inputs from agencies.)