Around 65,000 people who sold paddy to the government under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) regime during the previous financial year are under scanner for allegedly fleecing the government by pretending to be farmers with fake registration.
Around 65,000 people who sold paddy to the government under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) regime during the previous financial year are under scanner for allegedly fleecing the government by pretending to be farmers with fake registration.
Around 1.79 lakh farmers had registered last year for the purpose and the state procured 62.8 lakh tons paddy against the target of 60 lakh tons.
However, after scrutiny, the state government now feels that around 65,000 of those farmers who sold paddy to the government might have used wrongful means to get themselves registered.
“These 65,000 farmers are having ration cards, which means they are under BPL category. So either they have fake ration cards or their farmers’ certificate and registration is fake. We are investigating this issue and action to be taken accordingly,” said Rameshwar Oraon, finance and civil supplies minister.
The minister said some of these farmers have reportedly sold paddy ranging from 400 to 1000 quintals, which was unusual. The minister said as result, the state has fixed an upper limit of 200 quintals for each registered farmer for the current financial year.
“At least in my knowledge, I don’t know any farmer in the state who can sell 1000 quintals of paddy. We are fixing the 200 quintal limit so that small and medium-scale farmers get benefitted from the scheme,” added Oraon.
However, the state government this year has fixed the target of procuring 80 lakh tonnes of paddy. Procurement for this season is likely to begin December 15, for which payments will be done in parts. While 50% of the liable amount would be paid instantly after the procurement, the balance would be paid within the next three months.
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