Punjab News: In a recent turn of events, the Punjab government has decided to withdraw disciplinary proceedings against numerous officials from the agriculture department. This decision came to light after it was discovered that several machines intended for crop residue management, part of a central government scheme, were unaccounted for. The announcement, made just days before the Lok Sabha elections of 2024, is seen as a strategic move to appease the families and supporters of the more than 900 officials who were facing disciplinary actions.
Punjab Government Halts Action Against Officials in Missing Agricultural Machine Case
An official statement released by the Special Chief Secretary of the Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Department indicated that the government has chosen to shelve the ongoing proceedings related to the notices served to the officials. Instead, the matter will be pursued through a separate investigation to uncover the truth behind the missing machinery.
From 2018 to 2023, the crop residue management scheme saw the distribution of over a hundred thousand machines to farmers in Punjab at heavily discounted prices
From 2018 to 2023, the crop residue management scheme saw the distribution of over a hundred thousand machines to farmers in Punjab at heavily discounted prices. However, a verification process initiated a few years back revealed a discrepancy, with nearly 11,000 machines reportedly missing. This prompted the state government to issue notices under the Punjab Civil Service (Appeals and Punishment) Rules, 1970, to agriculture department officials across 11 districts, demanding an explanation for the anomaly.
Allegations surfaced that these machines either never reached the intended farmers or were resold by farmers after obtaining them at subsidized rates. This led to widespread discontent among the accused officials. Further investigations, including physical verifications, revealed that some farmers had sold their older machines to finance the purchase of new, subsidized ones, while in other cases, the machines could not be physically verified.
This development marks a significant shift in the government’s approach to handling the controversy surrounding the missing agricultural machines, aiming to mitigate potential unrest among the affected parties ahead of the crucial elections.
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