फ़र्ज़ी दावों और धोखाधड़ी से पैसा पाने की कोशिश करने वालों को पकड़ने के लिए ब्रितानी सरकार अब लाई-डिटेक्टर की मदद लेगी. इसके लिए क़रीब 30 लाख डॉलर खर्च किए जाएंगे. बताया जा रहा है कि अभी तक सात जगहों पर इसका इस्तेमाल करके शुरुआती परिणाम जुटाए गए हैं जिनसे पता चलता है कि इस प्रयोग की वजह से काफी बचत हुई है. इसी रुझान को देखते हुए इस योजना को बढ़ाने पर विचार किया जा रहा है.

रिपोर्ट सुनिए

Lie detectors are already used by the insurance industry to combat fraud. Now the government wants 15 local councils to do the same when assessing claims for benefit payments. A trial scheme has already proved successful, and the government thinks it could save $60 million a year by using it more widely.

The system analyses speech patterns over the phone - picking up tiny voice tremors as claimants answer a series of questions. This can then be used, along with other factors, to assess how stressed the caller is - and whether their claim needs further investigation. James Plaskitt is the work and pensions minister:

PLASKITT: The operators that we train to run this have got the printouts from the system on their screen. But they're also listening for audible clues of phrases, or hesitation perhaps when they're thinking about how to answer a question. So you've got multiple indicators working for you, and if there are enough of them, it suggests that that call is risky.

In the pilot scheme, about 3 in every 100 calls were flagged up. The claims involved then went through more rigorous checks before being authorised.

Critics say lie detectors do not work - and genuine claimants, particularly those with a poor grasp of English, could be put off from applying for benefits. However, other language versions, such as one in Gujurati, are planned - and the government says it will use any technology it can to catch the tiny minority of fraudsters who cost the tax payer millions of dollars a year.

Oliver Conway, BBC

आवाज़ सुनिए

to combat fraud
धोखाधड़ी रोकने के लिए

assessing claims for benefit payments
जब भुगतान के लिए दिए गए आवेदनों पर विचार किया जा रहा हो

speech patterns
शब्द या शब्दों के समूह के उच्चारण का क्रम

picking up tiny voice tremors
ध्वनियों को बारीकी से जाँचना

claimants
आवेदक

further investigation
आगे और जाँच के लिए

multiple indicators
कई संकेतक

flagged up
चिन्हित किए गए थे

a poor grasp of
कम या कमज़ोर जानकारी

put off
बाहर किया जाना