Odisha audit: 2,487 workers falsely declared dead for scheme fraud

A draft audit report reveals that medical officers in Odisha issued death certificates for 2,487 living construction workers, enabling nominees to fraudulently claim over ₹15 crore in Nirman Shramik Scheme benefits. The fraud involves systemic corruption in the certification process, and the extent of collusion and recovery efforts remain uncertain. This highlights governance failures in welfare distribution, potentially undermining public trust in state schemes.