Click to play videoBhopal: In a huge embarrassment to the Madhya Pradesh government, a letter from the Deputy Commissioner of Hoshangabad is now unravelling a Rs 200 crore loan waiver scam.
The letter written to the State Cooperatives Commissioner and Registrar, said that nearly four crore rupees meant for farm loan waiver had been siphoned off in Hoshangabad alone. The state government had then taken no action. But now Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries Arun Yadav has alleged that over Rs 200 crore have been siphoned off.
"Over 200 crore rupees have been siphoned and the government is aware of this. About 2200 employees were found guilty. Action was taken against only 10 people," said Arun Yadav.
The matter was raised in the Assembly recently and the ruling party was forced to admit irregularities of over Rs 115 crore. The State Cooperatives Minister admitted that over 600 bank employees and 1,507 staff of Primary Credit Societies were involved in the scam.
"This is related to auditing irregularities. We have so far found irregularities of around Rs 115 crore and we are getting the matter investigated," says Gaurishanker Bisen, Cooperatives Minister.
The Centre had given Rs 914 crore to the state government for farm loan waiver. The state government had transferred the money to the district cooperative banks for implementation of the scheme.
But the banks, allegedly, worked overtime to waive off loans of ineligible persons, depriving farmers of the benefits.
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