A recent government audit using Aadhaar-linked data has revealed significant irregularities in public-sector payrolls, with nearly 7,000 individuals found to be drawing salaries without performing any official duties. The findings point to long-standing weaknesses in employee verification and salary monitoring across multiple departments.
The audit was carried out as part of a broader effort to clean up government employment records and curb misuse of public funds. Officials involved in the exercise identified cases where salaries were being credited to non-existent employees, duplicate identities, or multiple bank accounts linked to the same individual. In several instances, outdated or unchecked records allowed the irregular payments to continue undetected for years.
Reportedly, the absence of consistent authentication mechanisms and limited cross-verification between payroll systems and employee databases enabled such practices to persist. The use of Aadhaar data helped flag mismatches between identity records and salary disbursements, bringing the scale of the issue into sharper focus.
In response to the findings, authorities are planning corrective measures that include tighter Aadhaar-based authentication for salary payments and more frequent reconciliation of employee data. Departments have also been advised to strengthen internal controls, introduce real-time monitoring systems, and improve coordination between finance, personnel, and administrative units.
Government sources indicated that accountability measures are being examined for departments where irregularities were most severe. These may include disciplinary action and recovery of funds wrongly paid out.
The exercise reinforces the role of digital identity systems in improving transparency and accountability in public administration. It also aligns with the government’s broader push to digitise employment records, reduce leakages, and ensure that taxpayer money is spent responsibly across central and state government establishments.
