'Invalid names, unrealistic DOBs': CAG flags discrepancies in Ayushman Bharat database

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Comptroller and Auditor General has highlighted discrepancies including invalid names, unrealistic dates of birth, duplicate health IDs and unrealistic family sizes in the database of Ayushman Bharat — Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). Ineligible households were found registered as PMJAY beneficiaries and had availed the benefits ranging between Rs 0.12 lakh to Rs 22.44 crore under the scheme, said the audit report tabled in Parliament on Tuesday. «According to National Health Authority (NHA) records, 7.87 crore beneficiary households were registered, constituting 73 per cent of the targeted households of 10.74 crore (November 2022).

»In the absence of adequate validation controls, errors were noticed in beneficiary database i.e. invalid names, unrealistic date of birth, duplicate PMJAY IDs, unrealistic size of family members in a household etc," the report said.Health Ministry sources on Wednesday said there is no role of mobile number in the verification process. «The mobile number is captured only for the sake of reaching out to the beneficiaries in case of any need and for collecting feedback regarding the treatment provided,» an official source said.

The sources said the mobile number has no role in deciding beneficiary eligibility and that it was an erroneous presumption that a beneficiary can avail treatment using mobile number. The CAG report pointed out that several beneficiaries were registered against the same mobile number under the health insurance scheme. It stated that 7.49 lakh people are registered against the mobile number 9999999999 as beneficiaries.