A review by the Labor Department reveals: A worker's breath was taken away, but it was stuck in the 'Sambal' files; 18,797 families were deprived of their right to compensation of ₹4 lakh each.

Following the death of a laborer, the family was supposed to receive assistance of ₹4 lakh, but in many districts, the assistance is stuck in file, portal, document, and bank-related complications. In Damoh, even after five months, the application has not moved beyond the Sambal branch. In Alirajpur, the family learned after the death that the Sambal card was never made. In Khachrod, the approved payment is repeatedly failing in the bank account. Leelabai's case, even after being approved, has been stalled for seven months. The Department of Labor...