Over 12 lakh ineligible farmers got financial aid from government: Report

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• Jul 25, 2023 | Dhupali Das

In a startling revelation, it has been found that a staggering 12.71 lakh ineligible farmers in Maharashtra availed benefits under the...

Digital Desk: In a startling revelation, it has been found that a staggering 12.71 lakh ineligible farmers in Maharashtra availed benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PMKSN) scheme, which was designed to provide financial assistance of Rs 6,000 annually to genuine farmers. The shocking findings came to light in a recent report released by the central government, exposing a major flaw in the implementation of the welfare scheme.

The report highlighted that thousands of beneficiaries, some of whom were not even engaged in farming, had managed to deceitfully exploit the scheme by submitting forged documents and false claims of land ownership. Further investigation revealed that several individuals who availed the benefits under PMKSN had concealed their income tax payments to qualify for the financial assistance.

Reacting to the revelations, Maharashtra's Agriculture Minister, Dhananjay Munde, expressed his concerns over the misuse of the scheme and stated that immediate actions were being taken to recover the misappropriated funds. "The process to recover the money from ineligible beneficiaries has already begun, and over Rs 100 crore has been successfully retrieved," he stated.

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It appears that some unscrupulous individuals took advantage of the initial policy implementation loopholes, leading to this massive irregularity. However, the government is determined to rectify the situation and ensure that such fraud does not occur in the future. To strengthen the verification process and prevent further cheating, the requirements for availing of PMKSN benefits have been made more stringent.

Coincidentally, this report comes at a critical juncture when the Maharashtra government is gearing up to launch the Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Yojana, a similar financial assistance scheme for farmers akin to PMKSN. The state government's new scheme aims to supplement the PMKSN by providing an additional Rs 6,000 to eligible farmers.

Learning from the loopholes exposed in the PMKSN, the central government has taken decisive actions to bolster the implementation of such welfare schemes. Mandatory updates of beneficiary details on the portal, 'e-KYC' authentication, and linking bank accounts with 'Aadhaar' as per land records have been put in place to minimize fraudulent claims and ensure the benefits reach the intended recipients.

In light of the recent developments, the central government has also temporarily relaxed the condition of 'e-KYC' authentication to smooth the transition and avoid potential hurdles faced by genuine beneficiaries.

The discovery of such widespread irregularities in the PMKSN scheme serves as a cautionary tale, emphasizing the need for robust monitoring and airtight verification processes in all government welfare initiatives. The authorities involved are determined to restore the sanctity of the scheme, ensuring that only deserving farmers receive the much-needed financial support.

As the Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Yojana is set to be launched next month, all eyes will be on the state and central governments to implement the scheme diligently, learning from past mistakes and safeguarding the interests of genuine farmers across Maharashtra.