GUWAHATI: The
Assam government has saved Rs 150 crore by deleting names 10 lakh of ‘ghost children’ beneficiaries of
supplementary nutrition from the state’s
Anganwadi centres.
An estimated Rs 2250 cr of
public fund meant for providing supplementary nutrition to children by the social welfare department has been fraudulently siphoned off in last 15 years when the Congress was in power. The money was withdrawn in the name of almost 10 lakh “ghost children”, who did not exist but were accounted for delivery of nutrition. The total figure of children was shown to be 44 lakhs then but after the scrutiny on the ground the number now stands reduced to 35 lakh. Similarly, officials have identified 390 fake Anganwadi centers through which the money was siphoned off.
A state government spokesman said on Friday that after head counts, the number of non-existing beneficiaries was pruned to 35 lakh thus giving a relief to the state exchequer to the tune of Rs 150 crore every year. The deletion of the
ghost children was carried out after chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal ordered an inquiry in 2016.