BHUBANESWAR: A special audit of the labour office at Rayagada has been directed by the Labour department to probe into the allegations of embezzlement of death benefits for construction workers in the district.
This was informed by Labour & Employees’ State Insurance minister Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia in the State Assembly on Tuesday in answer to a starred question on the fraud that was allegedly committed by former Rayagada district labour officer (DLO) Jasmine Subhadarshini Sahu and her associates.
Under the Nirman Shramik Kalyan Yojana, families of deceased construction workers registered with Odisha Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board get death benefit and funeral assistance. Funeral assistance is Rs 5,000 whereas death benefit stands at Rs 1 lakh and Rs 2 lakh in case of natural and accidental deaths respectively.
The extent of the funds embezzled through the fraud can only be known after the detailed probe as well as audit, following which action will be taken, the minister replied to an unstarred question.
“The department currently does not have any information on what the labour officer has done with the money obtained through the fraud or involvement of doctors in issuing fake death certificates. After a detailed inquiry, the department can take action,” he said.
While accused Jasmine has been placed under suspension, she is yet to be arrested even as the present DLO of Rayagada Gopal Krushna Mangaraj filed an FIR at Rayagada Town police station on August 3 against her.
“Steps are being taken to initiate departmental inquiry and framing of charge sheet against her,” the minister informed in his reply. EOW has also been asked to inquire.
He further said that as per the norm, the applications of death benefits are finally approved by district collectors.
Singkhuntia also informed that in Rayagada district, death benefit has been provided to families of 333 workers and 1,266 workers registered under Odisha Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board, in 2023 and 2024 respectively. Similarly, under Odisha Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Board, families of 17 workers in 2023 and 47 workers in 2024 have been provided death benefits.