GreaterKashmir.com: Monday, August 22, 2011.
Srinagar, Aug 21: Minister for Agriculture Ghulam Hassan Mir has ordered probe into the revelations of alleged fake signatures and thumb impressions being used against the “beneficiaries” of seeds and plants distributed by the Agriculture Department.
The revelations under the Right to Information Act were Saturday reported by this newspaper.
“The alleged fake signatures and thumb impressions in Branwar, Jabad and Neegu villages would definitely be investigated and appropriate action taken,” a spokesman of the Agriculture Department said in a statement. “Under National Watershed Development Programme for rain-fed sreas, Watershed for Branwar is being implemented from 2005-06 and the total cost of project as per Government of India norms is Rs. 30.00 lacs only. Out of this total expenditure of Rs.7.86 lacs has been incurred up to ending March 2010 and this includes Agro Forestry and Horticulture Plantation component of Rs. 66666.00 during 2008-09. No matter the magnitude of expenditure under the relevant head being very less, it will be ensured that the matter is investigated and action under law taken.”
DEPARTMENT: CLARIFIES
In a clarification to the Saturday’s news item in this newspaper, the Agriculture Department claimed that material referring to information revealed in response to an RTI application filed by Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat has been wrongly reflected in the news item. “The fact of the matter is that during the period 2007-08 to 2010-11 a total expenditure of Rs. 9.44 crores has been incurred on the purchase of different kind of seeds by the department and the said amount has almost fully been remitted into the Treasury after sale of the procured seeds among the farmers,” the spokesman said.
He claimed that the figures mentioned in the news item that potato seed worth 60 crores, paddy 100 cores, Peas 25 crores and Oats 63 crores are grossly incorrect. “The department has procured/purchased 6200 quintals of Potato, 18845 quintals of Paddy, 2614 quintals of Peas and 6341 quintals of Oats besides other seeds during these four years involving a total expenditure of less than Rs.10 crores in total,” he said.
This newspaper had however quoted the figures (put in lakhs) by the Directorate in response to Bhat’s RTI application.
“While the Department is making every effort to make quality seeds available to the farmers this is being mainly done through the Departmental Seed Multiplication Farms and Seed Village programmes where from certified seed is procured. Only the quantity that is not available from the above sources is purchased from State/Central Seed Corporations or from the registered companies through State Level Rate Contract Finalization Committee,” the spokesman said.
The revelations under the Right to Information Act were Saturday reported by this newspaper.
“The alleged fake signatures and thumb impressions in Branwar, Jabad and Neegu villages would definitely be investigated and appropriate action taken,” a spokesman of the Agriculture Department said in a statement. “Under National Watershed Development Programme for rain-fed sreas, Watershed for Branwar is being implemented from 2005-06 and the total cost of project as per Government of India norms is Rs. 30.00 lacs only. Out of this total expenditure of Rs.7.86 lacs has been incurred up to ending March 2010 and this includes Agro Forestry and Horticulture Plantation component of Rs. 66666.00 during 2008-09. No matter the magnitude of expenditure under the relevant head being very less, it will be ensured that the matter is investigated and action under law taken.”
DEPARTMENT: CLARIFIES
In a clarification to the Saturday’s news item in this newspaper, the Agriculture Department claimed that material referring to information revealed in response to an RTI application filed by Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat has been wrongly reflected in the news item. “The fact of the matter is that during the period 2007-08 to 2010-11 a total expenditure of Rs. 9.44 crores has been incurred on the purchase of different kind of seeds by the department and the said amount has almost fully been remitted into the Treasury after sale of the procured seeds among the farmers,” the spokesman said.
He claimed that the figures mentioned in the news item that potato seed worth 60 crores, paddy 100 cores, Peas 25 crores and Oats 63 crores are grossly incorrect. “The department has procured/purchased 6200 quintals of Potato, 18845 quintals of Paddy, 2614 quintals of Peas and 6341 quintals of Oats besides other seeds during these four years involving a total expenditure of less than Rs.10 crores in total,” he said.
This newspaper had however quoted the figures (put in lakhs) by the Directorate in response to Bhat’s RTI application.
“While the Department is making every effort to make quality seeds available to the farmers this is being mainly done through the Departmental Seed Multiplication Farms and Seed Village programmes where from certified seed is procured. Only the quantity that is not available from the above sources is purchased from State/Central Seed Corporations or from the registered companies through State Level Rate Contract Finalization Committee,” the spokesman said.
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