After NDTV exposed irregularities in a government scheme for labourers in Madhya Pradesh earlier this year, a case has been registered against 17 people for the alleged fraud.

Documents showed that several labourers who are very much alive and working have been listed as dead to siphon off government money from a scheme in Madhya Pradesh,

The Madhya Pradesh Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board gives Rs 2 lakh for funeral arrangement to families if a labourer dies at work or in an accident. Compensation is also given if a registered labourer suffers permanent or partial temporary disability due to a work-related accident.

In February this year, when the scam was unearthed by NDTV, Urmila Raikwar and Mohammad Qamar were shocked to find themselves listed among the dead, with funds fraudulently withdrawn in their names.

And then there are genuine cases of labourers who died in work-related accidents, but their families never got the money.

Leelabai, a resident of Bhopal’s Jahangirabad neighbourhood, says someone withdrew the Rs 2 lakh she was meant to get after her daughter, who was a registered worker, died two years ago.

In most of the cases, “e-payment orders” were found to be issued after 11 pm, and the copies of the death certificates were blurred. None of the identities have been linked with updated Aadhaar details. Even the Samagra IDs, an essential document issued by the state government, were created just before the “death” of labourers.

The officials appeared to have targetted only those labourers whose wage diaries, used to track payments, were inactive.

The Madhya Pradesh government told NDTV they will investigate the matter.

“If such a fraud has taken place anywhere, it will be investigated and strict action will be taken against whoever is guilty, no one in our government has the right to do such acts, There will be an investigation and the culprits will not be spared, we will not allow the public to be played with and this is the aim of our government,” Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla told NDTV.

Manu Vyas, SP, Lokayukta Police thanked NDTV for the revelations. “We acted after the scam was unearthed by NDTV. We have filed case against 17 people and further investigation is on,” he said.

Bhopal:

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed an expanded and detailed investigation into the recognition practices of nursing colleges in the state. The decision came following multiple applications seeking modifications to a previous court order dated September 28, 2022.

Initially, the court had ordered a comprehensive CBI inquiry into the activities of the Indian Nursing Council, MP Medical Science University, and MP Nursing Council up to the year 2017. However, modifications were deemed necessary after it was highlighted that the MP Nursing Council was constituted only in 2018. Consequently, the court has extended the inquiry period to include the 2020-21 academic session to ensure thoroughness and accuracy in the investigation process.

This adjustment aims to eliminate any confusion and to ensure a meticulous examination of the recognition processes of nursing colleges, particularly those that closed mid-session.

Furthermore, in addressing concerns related to student enrollment in nursing colleges, the court clarified that students from deficient colleges should be permitted to participate in examinations for the 2020-21 session. Enrollment for subsequent sessions will be considered once exams for those sessions are scheduled.

Emphasizing the vital role of practical training in nursing education, the court has also ordered a reinspection of 169 colleges previously cleared by the CBI. This decision comes amid serious allegations of bribery involving CBI officials who were found accepting bribes from some colleges in exchange for favorable reports.

To ensure the integrity of the reinspection process, the court has mandated that CBI teams be accompanied by district court registrars authorized by the Principal District Judge of the respective districts. Additionally, all inspections will be videographed to maintain transparency and accountability.

In another significant move, the court has appointed a committee under Retired Justice Shri RK Shrivastava to oversee the standards of practical training in nursing education. This committee is tasked with examining the entire spectrum of practical training, from hospital linkages for practical training to the assessment of learning.

The court has directed that the reinspections commence immediately and be completed within three months to expedite the investigative process and ensure timely action.

In a related development, the High Court has directed the State Government to reconsider the appointment of the Administrator in the MP Nursing Council following a petition challenging the qualifications of the current appointee. The petitioner sought relief for the State Government to evaluate the qualifications of the appointed Administrator, who was appointed as per a prior court order.