Government's decision to review its popular Griha Aadhar Scheme is expected to weed out ineligible beneficiaries with the chief minister expecting a cancellation of around 20,000 individuals. The budgetary allocation for Griha Adhar and Laadli Laxmi, the two popular flagship schemes of BJP government, has increased manifolds over the years. While the allocation for Laadli Laxmi has increased by 20 per cent, the funds allocated to Griha Aadhar have shown a quantum jump and increased by a massive 108 per cent. In 2014-15 the allocation to Griha Aadhar was Rs 120.26 crore which went up to Rs 250.23 crore this financial year.
The logic to suspect ineligible beneficiaries is simple. According to the chief minister, there could not be more than 1.5 lakh families in the state whose income is less than Rs 3 lakh per annum as the state income has risen by 22 per cent. Periodic audits of schemes are a welcome sign, but the government should also investigate on how ineligible entries were allowed into the system in the first place. Necessary systems should be put in place to plug all loopholes before new beneficiaries are
registered. The administration should also work out ways to recover amounts from people who have availed financial benefit illegally. This will not only discourage ‘fake' beneficiaries but also send a message that such acts will invite penal action at some point in time.
