11,000 machines supplied for in-situ stubble management missing, Agriculture dept seeks Vigilance inquiry

According to a preliminary investigation by the agricultural department, the loss caused has been estimated to be 140 crores

Stuble-burning Subsidized-machinery-missing Agriculture-department-Punjab

The Punjab Agriculture Department seeks the help of the Vigilance Bureau to investigate and take action on the matter of missing machines.11,000 of the 90,000 subsidized machines distributed to farmers over the last four years for in-situ stubble management have gone missing.

Agriculture secretary Dilraj Singh said, "The investigation is almost done at our level. The next step is to ask the state's Vigilance Bureau to step in and initiate required action."

According to a preliminary investigation by the agricultural department, the loss caused has been estimated to be 140 crores

After receiving a complaint about the machines, the department physically verified them in June and July as instructed by the Enforcement Directorate. Super-straw management systems, happy seeders, super seeders, paddy straw choppers, reversible plows, zero till drills, balers, rakes and shrub-master are a few of the subsidized machinery given to the farmers.

Director of agriculture Gurvinder Singh stated that Mansa and Muktsar had yet to submit reports regarding missing machinery, while Faridkot, Ferozepur, Fazilka, and Bathinda reported the maximum pilferage. In addition, the majority of machine makers are in the belt.

Department officials, users, distributors, and manufacturers of the machines may all face legal consequences.

"A final report will be compiled soon, and the number of missing machines will increase," stated the officer.

In the meantime, the Union Agriculture Ministry has asked the department to exclude farmers' groups from the scheme after the groups were discovered to have participated in widespread machine theft over the course of the last four years (2018–21), during which time the Center approved funds totaling more than 1,100 crores as a subsidy on the machines.

The Center has set aside 275 crores for subsidized machines for the upcoming Kharif harvest (October-November), and about 25,000 machines will be distributed.


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