Thiruvananthapuram: The vigilance department has identified major discrepancies in the Janani Janmaraksha scheme. As per the scheme, Rs 2,000 is allotted to every pregnant lady belonging to the Scheduled Tribes (STs) every month, up to 18 months of pregnancy. Anomalies were identified in the distribution of funds in the financial year 2023-2034.

For example, an amount of Rs 36,000 which was sanctioned as part of the scheme in 2019, was recovered from the treasury in the Tribal Extension Office in Iritty. Meanwhile, it was found out that in the Palakkad office, applications for financial aid to pregnant and lactating women remained pending for the last three years. 

In addition to this, four laptops which were supposed to be handed over to professional college students were recovered from the Tribal Development Office in Ranni. Internet services provided in three colonies out of the total 15 that come under the jurisdiction of the Integrated Tribal Development Project in Kalpetta are currently dysfunctional.   

Discrepancies have been identified in the distribution of footwear, night dresses, and uniforms to the ST students coming under the jurisdiction of the Thodupuzha office. Similarly, irregularities were spotted in the purchase and distribution of milk, fish-meat products, and other items from the Tribal Extension Office in Palakkad.

Apart from all this, gold medals supposed to be awarded to students who scored the highest marks in various examinations were recovered in a flash raid at the Directorate of Scheduled Tribes Development Department. Following the incident, the vigilance officials tried contacting the student toppers, and the latter informed them that they received no such medals.

In a similar manner, funds sanctioned for sponsoring the foreign studies of scheduled class candidates in the last two academic years were credited to applicants whose addresses were recorded as being in the neighbouring state of Karnataka. Strangely, several applicants shared the same contact number as well.