New Delhi: Bhagirath Chowdhury, BJP MP from Ajmer and Union Minister of State for Agriculture, has come under scrutiny after it emerged that he received a government subsidy of Rs 99 lakh for a project on his own farm under a scheme administered by his ministry.
The subsidy was sanctioned under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture, launched in 2014-15 to promote large-scale commercial cultivation of selected vegetables and flowers. The programme is implemented by the National Horticulture Board, an autonomous body under the administrative control of the Union Agriculture Ministry.
According to details that have surfaced, Chowdhury obtained the subsidy for cucumber cultivation on his farm in Peeh village in Rajasthan’s Deedwana-Kuchaman district, covering about 1.78 lakh sq ft. The total project cost was stated to be Rs 1.99 crore, with his contribution at Rs 49.80 lakh, while a loan of Rs 1.49 crore was taken from a private bank, HDFC.
The application was submitted on April 15 last year and received in-principle approval by April 29. Final approval was granted on March 11, and the subsidy amount was transferred to his bank account on March 30.
The development has sparked controversy as the National Horticulture Board is overseen by a board of directors chaired by the Union Agriculture Minister, with the Minister of State as vice-chairperson. While it is being stated that the minister had no direct role in the sanctioning process, Chowdhury has defended the grant, saying it was provided as per rules and that he applied as a farmer like others.
