Funds Allotted For Pension Schemes For BPL Families Were Diverted: CAG Report

Several crores of rupees were diverted from National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) to fund campaigning programmes of different welfare schemes of the Ministry of Rural Development, revealed the recent report of the Comptroller and Audit General of India. The NSAP was launched in 1955 to provide social security to the population living below the poverty line and includes pension schemes for old age. The CAG report, on the performance audit of the NSAP from 2017-18 to 2020-21, was tabled in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

“Funds of ₹ 2.83 crore earmarked for IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) activities under NSAP were diverted for campaigning of other schemes. Further, total funds of ₹ 57.45 crore were diverted in six States/UTs for other schemes/purposes,” the reports stated.

Under the funds allocation of the NSAP to states/ UTs, meant for disbursal of pension under various sub-scheme, three per cent was meant for administrative expenditure.

“The Ministry of Rural Development in January 2017 decided to campaign through hoardings in states and UTs for giving due publicity to all programmes/ schemes of the ministry. Administrative approval and financial sanction of Rs 39.15 lakh were taken (June 2017) for a publicity campaign through hoardings, with a limit of 10 hoardings at each capital city of the state and UT. Administrative approval and expenditure sanction of Rs 2.44 crore were taken (August 2017) for campaigning (for) Gram Samriddhi, Swachh Bharat Pakhawada and publicity material of multiple schemes of the ministry through five hoardings in each district of 19 states,” it said.

However, the funds for the campaign which were allocated under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, were not taken from there. Instead, it was incurred from the funds of the NSAP.

Work orders were issued to DAVP (Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity) in June and September 2017. “...the campaigns were to be undertaken by DAVP under intimation to the department; however, the payment to DAVP was made without confirmation of the execution of the work,” the report stated. 

“Hence, planned IEC (Information, Education and Communication) activities under NSAP were not undertaken as envisaged and funds of Rs 2.83 crore were diverted for campaigning in respect of other schemes of the ministry. Hence, IEC activities intended to create awareness among potential beneficiaries of NSAP could not be taken up even though there was earmarking of funds for IEC activities,” it said.

Further, the report points out that there were delays in the identification of potential beneficiaries and the sanction of pensions to eligible beneficiaries. Non-disbursement of pension from pension effective date resulted in short payment of ₹ 61.71 crore to 92,602 beneficiaries in 11 States/UTs”.