Rs.3.35cr Gruhalakshmi payments credited post beneficiary deaths in DK

Mangaluru,
A massive verification exercise ordered by the Department of Women and Child Development has uncovered that thousands of deceased beneficiaries in Dakshina Kannada continued to receive Gruhalakshmi benefits long after their death, resulting in government funds worth more than Rs.3.35 crore being credited to bank accounts linked to dead beneficiaries.

The district-wide review found that 3,477 deceased beneficiaries received Gruhalakshmi payments after their death. Official records show that a total of 16,742 monthly instalments, each worth ?2,000, were credited to these accounts, amounting to approximately ?3.35 crore. The findings emerged during an extensive verification drive conducted across the district as part of efforts to clean up beneficiary databases and ensure that welfare benefits reach only eligible recipients.

Gruhalakshmi, one of the Karnataka government's flagship guarantee schemes, provides financial assistance of ?2,000 every month to women heads of house holds. Since its launch in August 2023, the scheme has benefited lakhs of families across the state. However, the latest verification exercise has exposed significant gaps in updating beneficiary records after deaths.

According to official data, a total of 11,184 deceased beneficiaries were eventually removed from the Gruhalakshmi database in Dakshina Kannada. Of these, 3,477 beneficiaries had continued to receive benefits even after their death because their records remained active in the system until verification was completed. The highest number of such cases was reported from Bantwal taluk, where 747 deceased beneficiaries received benefits after death.

A total of 3,444 instalments were credited in these cases. Mangaluru taluk recorded 693 deceased beneficiaries who received payments after death, accounting for 3,410 instalments, while Belthangady reported 549 beneficiaries and 2,329 instalments. Officials said the situation arose primarily because deaths were not immediately reflected in beneficiary databases.

In several instances, beneficiaries had enrolled in the scheme and subsequently passed away, but their names remained active due to delays in updating records. Authorities also pointed out that deaths were not always reported promptly by family members, resulting in continued fund transfers. The verification exercise involved officials from the Women and Child Development Department, field-level staff and anganwadi workers who physically verified records and cross-checked beneficiary details.

With the identification of these cases, the government has now initiated the process of recovering the wrongly credited amount. Officials said the first responsibility lies with banks to identify funds that may still be available in beneficiary accounts and return them to the government. In cases where the amount has already been withdrawn, recovery notices will be issued to the legal heirs or family members who accessed the funds after the beneficiary's death.

The recovery process is expected to take time, as authorities will have to determine whether the money remains in the accounts or has already been withdrawn. Individual case-wise verification is likely to be undertaken before final recovery proceedings begin. Sources said the exercise is not being viewed merely as an attempt to recover funds but as a broader effort to improve the integrity of welfare delivery systems.

The findings have highlighted the need for stronger integration between welfare databases, Aadhaar-linked records and civil registration systems so that deaths are automatically reflected across government platforms. The verification has also demonstrated the importance of regular database audits in large-scale welfare programmes involving direct benefit transfers.

Officials emphasised that the exercise should not be seen as a reduction in benefits but as a measure to ensure that public funds are used efficiently and reach genuine beneficiaries. Meanwhile, the government has kept the process of adding eligible beneficiaries to the Gruhalakshmi scheme open. Women who meet the eligibility criteria but have not yet enrolled can continue to apply and avail themselves of the monthly assistance.

The removal of ineligible and deceased beneficiaries is expected to create room for more accurate targeting of welfare benefits while strengthening transparency in the implementation of one of Karnataka's largest social assistance programmes.