Kathmandu. Gwalior-Chambal division in Madhya Pradesh has witnessed a major fraud in the PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana.
Under the scheme, it has come to light that those who have already died have been declared alive to get an insurance amount of Rs 2 lakh after death. It has been found that the address of the deceased has been changed from district to state to cheat by insuring the name of more and more people.
The agencies used to issue death certificates on the basis of fake documents and on the basis of that, they received the claim amount after getting verification from insurance companies. It has been revealed that the secretaries of rural areas were involved in this incident.
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) team is investigating the entire scam. So far, more than 1,500 cases have come out from various insurance companies. According to the preliminary investigation of the EOW, millions of rupees were paid by the companies through insurance fraud.
Earlier, similar incidents were reported in Sambhal and Rampur in Uttar Pradesh. The Economic Offences Cell Gwalior received the complaint in February. Officials were also surprised when the investigation began. It was found that such gangs were operating in the districts of Gwalior-Chambal division, which targeted people in rural areas.
In fact, under the PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, insurance is available only if it is insured at least one month before death. Investigations have revealed that this fraud has been going on for the last several years.
More rural people than urban areas are the victims. Panchayat secretaries have the right to issue death certificates. The investigation team has sought information regarding death certificate from Registrar Bhopal (Birth and Death) and Gwalior.
To get insurance under the PM Jeevan Jyoti Yojana launched in 2015, one has to pay a premium of only Rs 436 in a year. People in the age group of 18 to 50 years can insure themselves under this scheme. Even in case of normal death, an insurance claim of Rs 2 lakh is available.
Similarly, people in the age group of 18 to 70 years are insured at an annual premium of Rs 20 under the PM Suraksha Bima Yojana. In case of death in an accident, rs 4 00,000 will be received. The sum insured is automatically deducted from the beneficiary’s account through the bank.
