Farmers allege ‘bungling’ of PMFBY funds amounting to Rs 1.40 crore

Tribune News Service

Sunit Dhawan

Rohtak, May 18

Bungling of an amount of nearly Rs 1.40 crore received under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) at the Primary Agriculture Cooperative Society (PACS) at Behalba village in Rohtak district has come to light.

Can lodge plaints before ARCS

If the farmers have not got their dues, they can lodge their complaints before the Assistant Registrar of Cooperative Societies (ARCS), who is the competent authority in this regard.

Sanjeev Kumar, development officer

Farmers allege that of the said amount released more than five years ago, Rs 42 lakh have been embezzled by the PACS functionaries, while the remaining amount of Rs 98 lakh has also not been distributed to the farmers till date.

“The amount of Rs 1.40 crore was released under the PMFBY in 2017 to be paid to the farmers whose crops were damaged. However, instead of distributing the amount to the farmers, Rs 42 lakh were embezzled and Rs 98 lakh were deposited in their loan accounts,” said Manoj Ahlawat, a former sarpanch.

Rohtak Deputy Commissioner Ajay Kumar said the matter would be probed and it would be ensured that all affected farmers get their dues at the earliest.

Enraged over the delay in payment, the farmers staged a protest at the village branch of the Rohtak Central Cooperative Bank on Wednesday.

Today, the bank authorities sent Development Officer Sanjeev Kumar to look into the matter. “It has been found that the PACS had deposited Rs 98 lakh in the loan accounts of the farmers instead of handing it to them,” Kumar told The Tribune.

Questioned about the allegations of embezzlement of Rs 42 lakh, the bank officer maintained that as per the official record, the said amount had been given to the affected farmers.

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