PM Modi Urges Ministers to Ensure All Eligible Receive Government Benefits

NEW DELHI — Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed ministers at the National District Mineral Foundation (DMF) Summit on 23 September 2026, demanding that every eligible person receive the benefits they are entitled to. The speech came after the government announced the cancellation of benefits for 15,724 deceased Gruha Lakshmi beneficiaries in Karnataka, a move that highlighted gaps in the system.

PM Modi urges ministers to close gaps in benefit delivery

Modi said the government’s commitment to welfare of mining‑affected communities must translate into concrete action. “We must ensure that every eligible person receives the benefits they are entitled to,” he told the assembly of ministers and civil servants. The call came as the two‑day National DMF Summit concluded, a forum that brings together state and central officials to review the implementation of mining‑related welfare schemes.

The Press Information Bureau released a statement on the same day, noting that the DMF summits reflected the prime minister’s vision for inclusive development. The summit, held in New Delhi, was the first of its kind since the DMF was established in 2015 to channel funds to communities affected by mining activities.

According to the Times of India, the prime minister’s remarks followed a report by Accredited Wire that highlighted administrative delays in the distribution of benefits. The report noted that the government had issued a directive to all ministries to audit their benefit delivery mechanisms and report any discrepancies within 30 days.

In Karnataka, the cancellation of benefits for 15,724 deceased Gruha Lakshmi beneficiaries was announced by the state government on 20 September. The beneficiaries, who had been receiving monthly pensions under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme, were found to have died before the government could verify their status. The central government has pledged to review the process to prevent similar lapses.

While the DMF summits focused on mining communities, the government also announced the launch of the Anganwadi Chalo campaign by the BJP Mahila Morcha in Odisha. The campaign aims to fight malnutrition among children under five by strengthening Anganwadi centres. The launch was timed to coincide with the DMF summit, underscoring the government’s broader focus on welfare.

Modi’s directive to ministers comes amid concerns that many eligible beneficiaries are still waiting for their entitlements. The government has introduced a digital platform, the Unified Benefit Portal, to streamline verification and disbursement. The portal allows beneficiaries to upload documents and track the status of their claims in real time.

Officials say the portal has already processed over 2 million applications since its launch in 2024. The portal’s data analytics module is expected to flag discrepancies and reduce fraud. The government has also set up a grievance redressal cell that operates 24/7 to address beneficiary complaints.

Despite these measures, civil society groups have warned that bureaucratic bottlenecks remain. The National Association of Welfare Schemes (NAWS) has called for an independent audit of the DMF’s benefit distribution. NAWS’s director, Ramesh Kumar, said, “The system is designed to work, but the implementation is lagging behind the policy.”

In response, the Ministry of Rural Development said it would conduct a comprehensive review of all welfare schemes, including Gruha Lakshmi and DMF benefits. The ministry also announced a task force to oversee the implementation of the Unified Benefit Portal and to ensure that no eligible person is left out.

As the government pushes for greater transparency and efficiency, the focus remains on ensuring that the promises made to vulnerable communities are fulfilled. The prime minister’s speech at the DMF summit was a reminder that policy success depends on effective execution at the ground level.