An agriculture extension officer was placed under suspension and seven other temporary workers were terminated from service for misappropriation of Rs. 2.27 crore under the National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Central Government.
Misappropriation of funds
Under the scheme, Rs. 2.27 crore was allotted to the District Watershed Development Agency for conservation, development of natural resources, enhancement of agricultural productivity and reduction in regional disparity between irrigated and rainfed areas. Funds were allotted for 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 by the Centre. However, N. Subramania Siva, agriculture officer, swindled the money and created fake records that the programme was implemented in the district. The seven temporary workers helped him in creating the records.
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The misappropriation came to light two years ago, when an official from the Directorate of Agriculture, Chennai, inspected the records and found irregularities. Notices were issued and reminders also served by the Director to the Joint Director of Agriculture in Salem seeking explanation. But no reply was given in the past one year.
Recently, Joint Director of Agriculture in Salem submitted the records to the Director in Chennai and found the misappropriation. Based on the findings, the agriculture officer was placed under suspension while the seven workers were terminated.
General secretary of the Farmers’ Association P. Kandasamy said that a criminal case should be filed against the officer and also against the private auditor who verified the records. He said that misappropriation of funds could have happened across the State and demanded scrutinising of the scheme records.
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