At least 524 bogus (ineligible) beneficiaries of Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) have been detected from 10 districts and sub-divisions in the state.
Disclosing this at a press conference here on Thursday, Agriculture Production Commissioner (APC) Nagaland, Y Kikheto Sema, said that out of the total 524 bogus beneficiaries, five were detected under Tseminyu SDAO, 43 under Seyochung SADO, 59 under Medziphema SDAO, 15 under Noklak SDAO, five under Longkhim SDAO, 61 under Tuensang SDAO, 27 under Kiphire SDAO, 142 under Dimapur SDAO, 135 Wokha SDAO and 32 Shamator SDAO.
PM-KISAN was officially launched by Prime Minister on February 24, 2019 enabling eligible farmers irrespective of land holding to be given Rs.6000 per year by Centre as income support to meet the farming input expenses. APC informed that the registration of those 524 bogus beneficiaries have been cancelled.
PM-KISAN was launched in Nagaland on February 25, 2019 and there were 2,02,113 farmer beneficiaries, who have received a total amount of Rs. 316,12,16,000 as on August 10, 2022, Kikheto said. The fund is directly transferred from the Ministry of Finance to the farmers account in three instalments.
He also informed that e-KYC done so far was 1,51,365, which is 74.89% against the total beneficiaries and one of the highest e-KYC verified beneficiaries in the country.
Meanwhile, Kikheto said that all the DAOs and SDAOs were directed to immediately initiate the recovery, adding that the progress was underway.
APC disclosed that more than Rs. 45 lakh was recovered from the bogus beneficiaries so far.
He said the department has also been directed to further identify bogus beneficiaries in all the remaining districts and sub-divisions, he added.
APC said that against the detection of bogus beneficiaries detected, genuine farmers would be registered/replaced and said for that a modified format was available with DAOs and SDAOs.
APC has warned the village councils that certifying wrong beneficiaries for PM-KISAN would invite disciplinary action and asked the VCs to verify well before certifying the beneficiaries.
APC has appealed to all the administrative officers and village council to extend cooperation and certify only genuine farmers. He also urged them to assist the genuine farmers open their Bank accounts.
He said district agriculture officers working sincerely as expected will be rewarded while also any fault committed would be penalized.