New Delhi: As many as 123 persons have been arrested so far this year for the misuse of credentials of block and district officials to approve the application of ineligible farmers under the PM-KISAN scheme, Parliament was informed on Tuesday.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana (PM-KISAN), eligible marginal farmers are electronically given Rs 6,000 annually in three equal instalments.
"Some district officials have also been arrested along with the contractual workers," Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
Out of 123 persons arrested as of December 8, 2021, the minister said eight were government officials, 40 were contractual employees, 23 were owners of the computer centre, and 52 were brokers and individuals.
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"As on December 8, 2021, a total of 123 persons have been arrested for the misuse of credentials of block/district officials to approve the application of ineligible farmers under PM-KISAN Scheme," he said.
Of the total number of persons arrested, eight officials were from the Agriculture Department of Tamil Nadu, including one official from Tiruvallur district, three officials from Vellore district, three officials from Villupuram district and one from Salem district, he added.
Tomar further said that the Tamil Nadu government has filed FIR in 16 districts under provisions made in Section 409, 120, 468, 171 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 43 and 66 of the IT Act.
However, the enquiry conducted by the Tamil Nadu government is under process, and the trial has not yet started, he added.
In Tamil Nadu, Tomar said Rs 182.8 crore has been recovered from ineligible beneficiaries, including the income tax payees under the PM-KISAN scheme.
PTI
