Ajay Sharma
Rajouri, January 29
A major irregularity has been surfaced in agriculture department of Sunderbani sub division in Rajouri, where subsidized agriculture machinery is distributed without verifying actual possession of the machinery.
According to sources familiar with the matter, subsidies ranging from Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000 or higher have been provided for a range of equipment under various government schemes.
This includes hand-operated small machinery, trailers, small tractors, regular tractors, and other farm implements.
“Some beneficiaries received subsidy payments primarily based on submitted bills and paperwork, without actual possession or on-ground utilization of the machinery,” alleged sources, adding that smaller hand-driven machines—lacking engine numbers or serial numbers—were particularly vulnerable to misrepresentation, with substitute or minimal items allegedly shown during any initial checks to secure funds.
“This appears to be a significant violation of requisite norms,” the source maintained, adding that subsidies were disbursed “only after taking the bill,” while physical verification on the ground could reveal discrepancies between documented claims and actual machinery in use by genuine farmers.
Meanwhile, local farmers have called for immediate intervention by senior officials, including the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Nowshera, Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO) Rajouri, and the Director of Agriculture, Jammu.
They have urged these authorities to issue orders for a comprehensive physical verification exercise.
“The proposed process would involve collecting all subsidized machinery distributed in Sundarbani over the last three years at designated locations or camps, supervised by senior agriculture officers,” said one of the farmers, adding that such on-site inspections, would “separate the wheat from the chaff”—clearly distinguishing legitimate beneficiaries from any fraudulent claims—and expose whether misuse involved farmers, departmental employees, or agriculture officers.
They have also appealed to the Minister for Agriculture requesting him to mandate this verification promptly to restore transparency and protect public funds intended for agricultural mechanization.
