Cashbook chaos and deceased payees: 'Operation Welfare Fund' exposes widespread fraud in 16 boards

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Widespread irregularities have been detected during Vigilance surprise inspections at 78 offices of 16 welfare fund boards functioning under the Labour Department as part of 'Operation Welfare Fund'.

Several boards had sanctioned pensions in the names of deceased members, but no steps had been taken to recover the amounts. In some cases, records showed that financial assistance had been provided to members, but the beneficiaries had not received the money. Officials are suspected to have misappropriated these amounts.

Some boards had failed to deposit contributions into bank accounts regularly. The balances shown in official records were not reflected in the actual bank accounts.

Receipts and cashbooks were missing in most offices. Temporary employees had been appointed without following prescribed norms. Pensions had also been sanctioned in violation of rules to members with outstanding liabilities, including loans. Employers' contributions were not being collected in several cases.

• At the Kerala Cashew Worker's Relief & Welfare Fund Board in Kollam, there were no receipts to establish that pensions had been paid to 206 members in June and 154 members in September.
• In Pathanamthitta, suspicious UPI transactions totalling Rs 4.46 lakh were detected in the bank account of a female board official.
• At the Kerala Toddy Workers' Welfare Fund Board in Alappuzha, ineligible beneficiaries had received COVID-19 financial assistance. The amounts had not been recovered.
• At the Kerala Building & Other Construction Workers' Welfare Board in Idukki, pensions continued to be paid even after the beneficiaries' deaths.
• Suspicious UPI transactions amounting to Rs 1.20 lakh were linked to two officials of the Kerala Motor Transport Workers' Welfare Fund Board in Idukki.
• At the Kerala Building & Other Construction Workers' Welfare Board in Ernakulam, pensions had been sanctioned in the names of deceased members. Failure to recover the amounts had resulted in substantial losses to the board. Six of the 20 beneficiaries had not received the benefits.
• At the Kerala Jewellery Workers' Welfare Fund Board in Thrissur, pensions continued to be paid even after the beneficiaries' deaths.
• Temporary employees of the Kerala Motor Transport Workers' Welfare Fund Board in Palakkad were working in Kozhikode, while their salaries and attendance were recorded in Palakkad.
• At the Kerala Building & Other Construction Workers' Welfare Board in Malappuram, pensions were sanctioned in violation of rules despite outstanding loan liabilities.
• The Kerala Headload Workers' Welfare Fund Board in Malappuram had failed to collect Rs 6,76,000 due as employers' contributions.
• At the Kerala Shops & Commercial Establishments Workers Welfare Fund Board in Kozhikode, pensions were being paid in the names of deceased members.
• The Kerala Building & Other Construction Workers' Welfare Board in Wayanad had failed to recover Rs 1.50 lakh in pending employers' contributions.
• At the regional office of the Kerala Handloom Workers' Welfare Fund Board in Kannur, there were no records to establish that gold medals had been distributed to the children of members.
• At the Kerala Headload Workers' Welfare Fund Board in Kasaragod, pensions had been sanctioned without official orders.

"Any irregularities committed by officials of welfare boards, which are meant to ensure social security and financial stability for workers, will be viewed very seriously and action will be taken," said Vigilance Director Manoj Abraham.

To report corruption:

• 1064
• 8592900900
• 9447789100