Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture has expressed displeasure over Haryana Government’s reply on the issue of misuse of central subsidy by the State Government.
The comments have been made by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture (2014-15) in action taken report on observations/recommendations made by previous Committee (2013-14) on evaluation of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna. Notably, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture (2013-14) had found truth in IAS officer Ashok Khemka’s allegations that farmer subsidies had been misappropriated.
The previous Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture (2013-14) had found that a limited tender was issued to buy wheat seed from Government corporations and cooperatives, which was to be distributed to farmers at subsidised rates under the Centre’s Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna. The conditions of the tender kept private players out. However, Government corporations bought the seeds from private companies at very high rates, nullifying the conditions of the contract, had stated the report.
The Committee had also found irregularities in purchase of fungicide Raxil 2% DS which again was subsidised to farmers. Commenting on the reply given by Haryana Government into the issue, the present Committee has said that it is not satisfied with the reply of Haryana Government, as the issues raised by the Committee (2013-14) in their original report have not been addressed to.
In its report tabled in Parliament recently, the Committee, said it reiterate their earlier recommendation that Department of Agriculture and Cooperation take adequate steps to ensure that misuse of Central subsidies do not take place, thereby ensuring that the benefit of central subsidies reach the farmers. The Committee would await the Haryana Government’s response on the concerns expressed by them, stated the report.
Khemka had detected the misappropriation as Haryana Seed Development Corporation (HSDC) managing director from October 15, 2012 to April 4, 2013. He had been sent to the corporation after he had cancelled the mutation of Robert Vadra-DlF land deal during Congress Government in Haryana.
The Standing Committee (2013-14) had also stated, “The central money spent on subsidising the cost of seeds purchased from Government/cooperative agencies in restrictive or limited tenders where private seed producers were ineligible to bid, but the seeds supplied were certified by the Government agency should be recovered from the State Government.”