<h1>Audit Uncovers Major Irregularities in Construction Workers' Registration and Welfare Fund Spending Under Section 7</h1> A government audit report revealed significant irregularities in the registration and welfare expenditure of construction workers under a state welfare board. The report found unreliable data on worker registrations, with evidence of duplicate and ghost entries, and a renewal rate far below the national average. Despite substantial funds exceeding Rs 3,500 crore accumulated over four years, welfare spending remained under 12% of total receipts. Discrepancies totaling over Rs 200 crore were identified between cess amounts recorded by different authorities, with no reconciled database maintained to track cess collection and remittance. The audit also noted incorrect cess assessments and short payments. These findings highlight systemic flaws in fund management, data integrity, and implementation of welfare schemes for construction workers.