Ayushman Bharat Scheme: CAG report exposes dummy numbers, Aadhar irregularities
FIT Quint, the report reveals that around 750,000 beneficiaries were associated with an invalid mobile number, specifically 9999999999. Moreover, the CAG identified 4,761 registrations that were linked to only seven Aadhar numbers, indicating potential irregularities. Additionally, the audit found instances of hospitals that were absent from the list of facilities registered under the public health insurance scheme.
In an interview with FIT Quint, Srinivas Kodali, a researcher specializing in data, governance, and the internet, as well as Shweta Mohandas, a policy officer at the Centre for Internet and Society. They also consulted with a public health expert in order to gain a deeper understanding of the matter. When an individual visits a hospital to access the advantages offered by the Ayushman Bharat scheme, they are required to present their Aadhar card, which is then utilized to verify the patient's eligibility.
“AB-PMJAY identifies the beneficiary through Aadhaar identification wherein the beneficiary undergoes the process of mandatory Aadhaar based e-KYC. The details fetched from the Aadhaar database are matched with the source database and accordingly, the request for Ayushman card is approved or rejected based on the beneficiary details," an unnamed official told news agency PTI. Also Read: CAG finds irregularities in Ayushman Bharat scheme in MP, says ₹1.1 crore paid to 403 'dead' patients As per the CAG audit findings, approximately 4,761 enrollments were recorded using only seven Aadhaar numbers in Tamil Nadu.
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