Central teams start verification of stubble machines’ purchase in Punjab

Tribune News Service

Ruchika M Khanna

Chandigarh, November 13

In the backdrop of the stubble management machinery purchase scam in Punjab between 2018 and 2022, the Centre has sent its teams to verify all machines purchased by farmers in 2022-23 and 2023-24.

The teams have started the verification of the machines purchased in the two years from October 25. The verification drive is going on in 12 districts with 16 teams being deputed for the purpose.

“Two central teams are deputed to visit four districts of Moga, Bathinda, Ferozepur and Muktsar, while one each is inspecting the purchase in eight districts selected by the Centre,” said Director, Agriculture, Jaswant Singh.

The verification is being done after the machine purchase scam rocked the state. The scam was extensively reported by The Tribune. These stubble management machines worth Rs 150 crore were found missing though 100 per cent subsidy had been claimed for these “missing” machines under the Crop Residue Management Scheme.

As many as 11,000 machines (super seeders, happy seeders, balers, mulchers, etc) given to farmers (of a total of 90,000) were found missing. It is suspected that the funds meant for purchase of these machines were misused by submitting fake bills of machine purchase.

The Centre had released Rs 1,178 crore to the state under this scheme. It is learnt that each team is approaching 30 beneficiaries and inspecting the machinery purchased for the stubble management. The villages to be visited by the central teams are selected randomly without taking the state’s authorities into confidence. After the physical verification of the machines, a report will to be submitted to the Centre, it is learnt.

This time, the government had changed the rules for providing subsidy. Not only has the state government been asked to chip in 40 per cent of the subsidy cost on its purchase, but it has also been decided to provide subsidy only after the physical verification is done of the machinery bought under the scheme. It is after the verification report by the Centre that the subsidy amount of Rs 350 crore for 2023-24 will be released.

Will visit 12 districts

Two central teams are deputed to visit four districts of Moga, Bathinda, Ferozepur and Muktsar, while one each is inspecting the purchase in eight districts selected by the Centre. — Jaswant Singh, director, agriculture

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Tribune News Service

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