Rajasthan, March 10: How government money is siphoned off under the guise of government schemes? How the government officials misuse their power, post and lacunas of the system and how the officers, responsible for the check and balance, keep their eyes closed to overlook the ruining of the system? A sample of this came into public domain, when a question was asked on Monday by a member of the house in the Rajasthan Assembly regarding misuse of public money under Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme?
On Monday, Minister of State for Cooperation (Independent Charge) Gautam Kumar in a written reply to the original question of MLA Kesa Ram Choudhary in the Assembly, informed that a total of 13 thousand 858 ineligible persons have been registered under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana in Marwar Junction Assembly constituency, who have received the benefit of Rs 826.66 lakh through various instalments under the scheme. He placed the details of the amount transferred to these ineligible persons on the table of the House. He informed that out of these 13 thousand 858 ineligible persons, the names of 13 thousand 720 persons are such who are not residents of those villages. District Collector Pali has been directed to investigate this matter. After investigating the entire matter of showing ineligible farmers eligible and providing benefits, disciplinary action will be taken as per rules against the officials and personnel found responsible.
The Minister said that the recovery will be made soon by following the prescribed procedure from the ineligible persons who took unfair benefits under the Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi. He said that an Additional District Collector has been appointed to investigate the case of improper transfer of funds under Kisan Samman Nidhi in Pali district. Action will be taken against the culprits after investigation.
The Minister of State for Cooperation was answering the supplementary questions asked by the member in this regard during the Question Hour. He said that at the beginning of the Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, the benefit amount was transferred only on the basis of the declaration form given by the farmer. Later, uploading the land report was also made mandatory. The Central Government has also given instructions to recover the amount of Samman Nidhi from ineligible persons.
He said that after the cases of benefits given to ineligible persons in Pali between the years 2019 to 2023 came to light, FIRs have been registered in Tehsildar Desuri, Marwar Junction and Rani on the instructions of Pali District Collector.
What a fun – out of these 13 thousand 858 ineligible persons, the names of 13 thousand 720 persons are such who are not residents of those villages and the loot continued to go on for five years from 2019 to 2023 without any check. The minister stated that the Central Government has also given instructions to recover the amount of Samman Nidhi from ineligible persons, but how the money involved will be recovered when the minister himself admits that the ineligible persons were not even the residents of these villages. How will the government trace these persons?
This is the story of a single assembly seat, Marwar Junction Assembly constituency; what shall be the picture, if an enquiry is made in all the 200 constituencies of the state? Will the present government dare to widen the sphere of investigation? If it is fairly investigated, not only the village level employees, the big fish will also come into the net. Role of all the officials from Patwari to District Collectors should be thoroughly examined, so that the actual line of corruption can be detected and penalised for.
