Social Security Allowances Worth Millions Found Paid to Deceased Persons in Kanchanpur

An audit report has revealed that social security allowances were distributed in the names of 187 deceased individuals across seven local levels in Kanchanpur district.

According to the Office of the Auditor General, allowances worth around Rs. 1.5 million were deposited into accounts of deceased beneficiaries in fiscal year 2081/82.

The report shows irregularities in several local governments, including Shuklaphanta Municipality, Laljhadi Rural Municipality, Bhimdatta Municipality, Belauri Municipality, Bedkot Municipality, Dodhara Chandani Municipality, and Krishnapur Municipality.

Shuklaphanta alone is reported to have released allowances to 35 deceased individuals, while Bhimdatta Municipality distributed over Rs. 420,000 in similar cases. The audit has instructed all concerned local bodies to recover the amounts and deposit them into the federal consolidated fund.

Officials have stated that although allowances are legally payable only up to the date of death, weak record management and delays in updating beneficiary lists led to continued payments.

Local authorities admitted administrative lapses, stating that payments were made based on ward-level recommendations and without timely updates of death records.