How PM-Kisan Scam Highlights Loopholes in Govt Scheme for The Poor

How could ineligible persons easily register for the PM-Kishan scheme meant for marginal farmers?

How did scamsters forge fake identities of a Bollywood actor, an ISI spy and a Hindu deity to register into the PM-Kisan Scheme to receive DBTs meant for marginal farmers? 

(Photo: The Quint)

How did Lord Hanuman, the ejected ISI spy Mehboob Rajput and actor Riteish Deshmukh end up being farmers eligible to receive funds from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship welfare scheme — the PM-Kisan — which is meant to aid poor farmers?

In a two-part exclusive investigative report by The Quint, it was found out that scamsters successfully registered for the scheme on the PM-KISAN portal using publicly available Aadhaar numbers of Lord Hanuman, Mr Deshmukh and Mehboob Rajput, a bank account number, land record details and a phone number to receive Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) installments worth Rs 12,000.

This despite the government repeatedly assuring that Aadhaar cannot be used to commit fraud. What does it say about the loopholes in our government schemes meant for the poor? Tune in!