CAG Says Driver Empowerment Programme Paid Ineligible Beneficiaries
Multiple benefits were extended to the same family members, the CAG found. Some beneficiaries with incomes above the prescribed limits were granted subsidies, highlighting lapses in verification.
Hyderabad: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has flagged irregularities in the implementation of the Driver Empowerment Programme (DEP), revealing that Rs.1.75 crore subsidies were sanctioned to ineligible beneficiaries due to the absence of a proper verification mechanism.
Multiple benefits were extended to the same family members, the CAG found. Some beneficiaries with incomes above the prescribed limits were granted subsidies, highlighting lapses in verification.
The scheme was being implemented by different banks; many of them were unaware that other participating units were extending the scheme to the members of the same family.
Further, it was stated that the selection committee might have been satisfied with the candidates' credentials and selected candidates. The CAG noted that explanations were not adequate from the departments concerned and pointed out systematic failures.
Due to technical errors in support systems of both OBMMS and food security card data and the absence of a corrective mechanism to prevent sanction of benefit to ineligible beneficiaries, the audit could not vouchsafe that the scheme was implemented as per envisaged objectives, it said.
The CAG recommended that the state government investigate such cases and fix responsibility on the sanctioning authorities who approved the benefits under the Scheme without proper verification.
Under the Economic Support Scheme (ESS) Action Plan in 2017, the BRS state government initiated the DEP to ensure sustainable livelihood for the identified beneficiaries from SC, ST, BC and Minority communities. The scheme selected applicants, facilitating purchases of vehicles by them and enabling individuals to become independent driver-cum-owners.
The CAG scrutiny of records revealed a total of 3,259 vehicles were provided during 2016-20 via an Online Beneficiary Management and Monitoring System (OBMMS) under the DEP. As per the guidelines of ESS, beneficiaries availing financial support under the ESS scheme were not further eligible under the DEP scheme during the next five years.
An analysis of beneficiary data from ESS (2014-15 to 2017-18) and DEP (2016-17 to 2019-20), specifically relating to the sanctions by TSCCDC and TSMFC during 2016-17 to 2019-20, revealed that contrary to eligibility conditions, 32 beneficiaries received a total subsidy of Rs.1.39 crore under DEP within five years of receiving an ESS subsidy.
