PM KISAN SCAM: Gauhati High Court asks government to act against erring officials

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: A division bench of the Gauhati High Court comprising Chief Justice RM Chhaya and Justice Soumitra Saikia closed a PIL (73/2020) in the PM-Kishan scam by directing the Assam Government to take appropriate action against the erring officials.

The High Court further directed:

(i) The government shall take into consideration the one-man enquiry report.

(ii) The State Government shall strictly adhere to the guidelines for providing the benefits to appropriate beneficiaries.

(iii) The respondent authority shall implement the scheme in letter and spirit and follow the law.

(iv) The respondent authority shall adhere to the statements made in the affidavits, particularly the one submitted on September 13, 2022.

Hearing both the parties – Amguri Naba Nirman Samity (petitioner) and the State government and others (respondents) – the bench observed 'it appears that ineligible persons derived the benefits of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PMKSN) scheme'. The High Court observed that the government had taken action against such persons.

In its additional affidavit submitted on September 13, 2022, the State government said that the Agriculture Department had suspended two DAOs (District Agriculture Officers) and dismissed two data entry operators, besides initiating departmental proceedings against 99 agricultural officers. State enquiry officers conducted an inquiry against 77 of the 99, besides calling seven officers for personal hearing, the bench said. In its additional affidavit, the petitioner alleged that 9,39,146 ineligible beneficiaries received the benefits of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme wrongly.

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