Kerala’s welfare boards are facing detailed vigilance investigations after statewide surprise inspections found pension payments in the names of deceased beneficiaries, suspected misappropriation of financial assistance, unaccounted funds and irregular appointments across 78 offices.
The inspections were conducted by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) at offices of 16 welfare fund boards functioning under the labour department. The operation, conducted on Thursday, was part of ‘Operation Welfare Fund’, launched under the bureau’s Project Zero initiative after information was received about corruption, financial irregularities and possible misappropriation.
According to the findings reported by the Times of India, several boards continued to disburse pensions in the names of deceased members and did not take steps to recover the amounts. In some offices, records indicated that financial assistance had been released to beneficiaries, although the beneficiaries had reportedly not received the money. VACB is investigating whether officials misappropriated those amounts.
The inspections also identified delays in depositing contributions collected from workers into bank accounts. In some cases, the balances recorded in registers did not match the actual bank balances. Offices were also found to have failed to maintain basic records, including contribution receipt books and cash books, according to the report.
Other irregularities included the appointment of temporary employees without following prescribed procedures and the sanctioning of pensions to members who had outstanding loan liabilities. The vigilance team also found instances in which employers’ contributions were not collected properly, creating additional financial liabilities for the welfare boards. Some pensions had reportedly been sanctioned without proper orders authorising the payments.
The 16 boards covered by the inspections represent a wide range of worker groups, including abkari workers, agricultural workers, beedi and cigar workers, construction workers, cashew workers, handloom workers, headload workers, motor transport workers, shops and commercial establishments workers, tailoring workers, toddy industry workers, small plantation workers, jewellery workers and unorganised workers. Boards for labour welfare funds, bamboo and related traditional workers were also included.
The findings place administrative controls at the centre of Kerala’s worker-welfare system. The boards collect and manage contributions intended to support members through pensions and financial assistance, making the accuracy of beneficiary records, bank reconciliation and payment authorisations important safeguards against leakage and wrongful disbursal.
VACB director Manoj Abraham said the bureau was viewing seriously the involvement of officials entrusted with protecting workers’ social-security and financial interests in irregularities and financial misuse. He said detailed follow-up investigations would be conducted and strict legal action would be initiated against those found responsible.
Abraham also said stronger monitoring mechanisms and follow-up inspections would be introduced under Project Zero to improve transparency and prevent corruption in the functioning of welfare boards. Members of the public can report corruption-related information to the vigilance bureau through its toll-free number 1064, phone number 8592900900 or WhatsApp number 9447789100.
