VACB Starts Wide‑Scale Probe of Kerala Welfare Fund Boards Over Corruption Allegations

Operation Welfare Fund, a probe by the Vigilance and Anti‑Corruption Bureau, began inspections in 78 offices of 16 welfare‑fund boards under Kerala's Department of Labour after a surge of complaints. The director of the bureau, Manoj Abraham, said the checks are targeting alleged misuse of employer contributions, bribery for adding unqualified names to beneficiary lists, and tampering of accounts to keep pension payouts flowing after a beneficiary's death. Other grievances include paying multiple pensions to a single person, granting ex‑gratia benefits to ineligible claimants, and diverting government assistance funds. The inspections are part of the bureau's Pro‑Active Vigilance drive and its Project Zero plan, which aims to eliminate corruption in state institutions. Abraham urged citizens to report any corrupt activity using the toll‑free number 1064 or the mobiles 8592900900 and 9447789100. ## Context These welfare funds are meant to provide social security to workers; irregularities can drain resources meant for genuine beneficiaries and erode public trust in government schemes.