In Madhya Pradesh, Natural Farming Scheme Wilts In Soil Of Corruption

The state agriculture minister mentioned motion will probably be taken.

Bhopal:

At 16.37 lakh hectares, Madhya Pradesh has the most important space below natural farming within the nation and an try to present this a lift has fallen prey to corruption, an investigation has revealed. Crores of rupees earmarked to advertise the environmentally pleasant methodology of farming, which is sweet for the soil, crops and even customers, have allegedly been swindled by native officers.

The state authorities has mentioned it’ll look into the matter and take acceptable motion.

Within the tribal-dominated Anuppur district, the native administration performed a radical investigation and located that the cash allotted from the District Mineral Fund in 2019-20 to advertise natural farming within the space has been misappropriated. The administration has now really useful that the Financial Offences Wing and the Agriculture Division take motion in opposition to the officers concerned.

Beneath the plan, 5,000 farmers from varied villages within the district had been to obtain vermicomposting beds, natural manure, earthworms, nets, literature, and coaching. Accordingly, a sum of Rs 6.93 crore was allotted from the fund, out of which Rs 2.9 crore was allotted to the Agriculture Division’s Agricultural Expertise Administration Company (ATMA) Mission, Anuppur, to acquire supplies, Rs 2.93 lakh for coaching and different works, and Rs 1.08 crore was given to a personal firm for soil testing. The allotment per farmer was Rs 9,770.

Supplies Lacking, Coaching Too

When NDTV visited villages like Baskhali and Changeri in Kotma block and spoke to farmers who had been presupposed to have benefited from the programme, the findings had been alarming.

In Baskhali, the vermicompost beds supplied to farmers, that are made of fabric akin to tarpaulin, had been discovered to be unfold out over roofs to guard homes from the rain. Farmer Motilal Singh mentioned, “I obtained a internet and a mattress for vermicomposting, however no earthworms. With out them, the opposite supplies had been ineffective, and no compost was ever made.”

Mohan Singh, one other farmer, needed to buy earthworms himself to make compost. 4 different farmers, Kamlesh, Sunita, Lalman, and Hiralal, additionally echoed the complaints and added that they by no means acquired the soil testing studies which might allow them to know how a lot compost to make use of or what crops to develop.

In Changeri, farmer Belan Singh Marko acknowledged that no coaching was supplied, and the nets and beds had been left unused in gardens.

In villages like Gohindra, Pathraudi Manmari, and Perichua too, farmers reported receiving incomplete supplies and no coaching. Former district panchayat member Buddhsen Rathore mentioned he was the primary to boost these points however no motion was taken.

‘Will Act’

Makes an attempt to contact the deputy director of the Anuppur Agriculture Division and the ATMA venture director had been unsuccessful. The investigation and criticism letters have, nonetheless, reached the Agriculture Division and the Financial Offences Wing.

State Agriculture Minister Aidal Singh Kansana mentioned, “Wherever there’s a matter of corruption, we examine and take motion. I’ll speak to the collector of Anuppur. If any such factor is discovered, we’ll take motion in opposition to the responsible.”