According to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, massive blunders have come to light in the assistance provided under the Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme to the poor, elderly, widows, and people with disabilities under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) awarded by the Central Government.

As per the CAG report, the Gujarat government paid assistance to 1,072 beneficiaries even though they were deceased or exceeded the BPL (Below Poverty Line) limit. The report also stated that the state government does not maintain any database for beneficiary assistance.

The NSAP, launched by the Central Government in 1995, provides financial aid in the form of pensions to the disabled, elderly, widows, those below the poverty line, and families after the death of the head of the household.

The amount is transferred directly into bank accounts under the Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme. According to the CAG report, which examined government documents and financial transactions related to this assistance from 2017 to 2020-21, the government paid for the NSAP without conducting any special verification to confirm the eligibility of beneficiaries.

As many as 1,072 beneficiaries who were either deceased or had exceeded the poverty line limit continued receiving pensions.

A total of ₹32.60 lakh was paid to these beneficiaries before their removal between 2017 and 2021, while 27,801 beneficiaries were deprived of benefits worth ₹55.60 crore.

Additionally, 36 gram panchayats-wards were never audited. Records from 18 Mamlatdar offices showed that out of 173 beneficiaries, 9 were eligible, yet their applications were rejected. Furthermore, the audit revealed certain shortcomings in the IT system.

Between 2017 and 2021, audit analysis identified numerous duplicate pension accounts across three pension components in nine selected districts. None of the 27 designated implementing agencies maintained records related to the annual verification of beneficiaries' eligibility status. Additionally, no life certificates were uploaded to the NSAP portal by the beneficiaries.