PIB Fact Check Debunks Viral Video Claiming Under-Spending On Central Schemes

The Press Information Bureau’s Fact Check unit has delivered a decisive rebuttal to a viral YouTube video that accused the Union government of massive under-spending and failure in flagship welfare schemes.

The video, published on December 27, 2025, by a channel named ‘Indian Press House’, alleged that central schemes showed near-zero progress and that public funds largely remained unutilised.

PIB Fact Check has categorically dismissed these claims, calling them misleading, exaggerated, and unsupported by official records.

Using authenticated budgetary data from 2016 to 2025, PIB Fact Check established that the central government actually spent nearly 85 per cent of allocated funds across major schemes during the period.

Officials stated that the video selectively quoted numbers, ignored audited expenditure figures, and stitched together unrelated data points to create a false impression of systemic failure.

Smart Cities Mission: Claims Versus Reality

One of the most striking distortions involved the Smart Cities Mission. The viral video claimed the initiative had stalled with negligible outcomes.

PIB Fact Check countered this by confirming that 96 per cent of approved projects across 100 smart cities have already reached completion.

The Centre released ₹47,458 crore for the mission, and states and cities utilised 97 per cent of these funds.

Officials, however, stressed that infrastructure upgrades, mobility projects, digital governance systems, and urban rejuvenation efforts actively operate on the ground. They said these outcomes directly contradict the narrative of inaction.

The fact-checking agency also dismantled allegations surrounding the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).

The video alleged large-scale irregularities and cited a purported Comptroller and Auditor General report. PIB Fact Check clarified that no such CAG report exists.

Official data shows that PMAY has completed nearly 75 per cent of rural houses and 86 per cent of urban houses sanctioned under the scheme.

Authorities emphasised that millions of beneficiaries have already moved into permanent homes with basic amenities.

Similarly, the video accused the AMRUT water mission of failing to improve the urban water supply.

PIB Fact Check presented verified figures showing that urban tap water coverage increased sharply from 49 per cent to 77 per cent under the mission.

Officials noted that cities expanded pipelines, modernised treatment plants, and strengthened last-mile delivery systems to ensure safer drinking water.

PIB Fact Check warned citizens against consuming politically charged digital content without verification.

It further stated that misinformation campaigns increasingly use dramatic visuals and selective statistics to erode public trust in institutions.

Officials urged viewers to cross-check claims with official portals, government dashboards, and audited reports before forming opinions.

The rebuttal reinforces the government’s position that welfare delivery and infrastructure missions continue to advance at scale.

PIB Fact Check, however, concluded that the viral video failed to meet basic standards of accuracy and transparency. It reaffirmed that data-driven governance remains central to public accountability.

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