Subsidy scam uses the dead

Officials loot lakhs of rupees through fake cheques

Worse, the officials have not even spared dead farmers, claiming the subsidy in their name by preparing fake documents.

The scheme relates to the Rs. 1,000 subsidy for rain-dependent small and marginal farmers, announced by the Chief Minister in his maiden budget came into effect in 2008-09.

It aimed to help the farmers atleast minimally to purchase seeds and fertilisers in the pre-monsoon season.

The government had released funds worth Rs 3.45 crores for the taluk. An amount of Rs 1,45,73,000 was deposited in the Gangavati branch of the Axis Bank in the name of the Tahsildar while Rs two crore was deposited in the local Pragati Grameena Bank branch.
The Department of Agriculture had released cheques to be given by the Tahsildar to small and marginal farmers.  Records show such distribution to more than 30,000 farmers.
Despite two pre-monsoon seasons having passed, farmers here are yet to receive the cheques. Apparently, records have been created to distribute such cheques to farmers including those dead.

Hoodwinking act

The staff of the Revenue department in collusion with their colleagues from the Agriculture Department have been found guilty of misusing lakhs of rupees hoodwinking their superiors.

A Deccan Herald correspondent personally visited villages in the taluk and ascertained that 32 farmers had received the money. For instance, farmers Shivappa Rajappa Talwar and Yamanappa Balappa Kalal of Yaragera, Basappa Nagappa Otti and Bheemappa Bangari of Mittalkoda had died many years ago, but their relatives said they had not received the cheques.

In Mittalkoda, Yallappa’s wife Bheemavva, one-time farmer and now poultry farm owner Ambubai Pawar, Bheemappa Bangari, Bheemappa Hanumappa, Basappa Nagappa are some people whose names are found in records as recipients, but their relatives deny that they had received the subsidy.

Cheque encashment

However, cheques were encashed on behalf of unknown people like Balavva Lakshmappa, Balappa Thimmanna, Begum Mehboobsab, Neelavva Neelappa, Mariappa Hallappa, Basappa Parashuramappa, Balappa Nagappa.

Yamanavva Hanumappa, Hanumappa Hanumappa, Devappa Siddappa in Yaragera, Rudrappa Ningappa, Parasappa Hanumappa and Hanumappa Ningappa Gorebala from Gorebala deny having receiving any subsidy, but cheques have been issued in their names.

None in the villages knows who is Kalakamma Onappa in whose name one such cheque was issued. 

Misappropriation

There has been mass misappropriation of the cheques in the names of dead farmers in most villages. Farmers have, therefore, pleaded for an early investigation of the matter and appropriate action to be taken against the guilty parties.