Jajpur: Farmers here in Jajpur district have alleged corruption in Primary Agriculture Credit Cooperative Societies (PACS) while transferring the government’s farm loan waiver benefits to individual beneficiaries. Secretaries of many PACS pocketed a major chunk of the money and passed on only a portion of it to beneficiaries.
The farmers here said they have not been given any loans from PACS over last three years.
The Registrar of Cooperative Societies has asked the Assistant Registrar of Cooperative Society, Jajpur, to hold a probe and take action against officials regarding this.
The probe at Markandapur PACS centre was completed and the culprits have already deposited Rs 19,46,000 in the bank. The final hearing of the Markandapur case is on September 7.
Three years after Markandapur case another case against a PACS has come to light at the Brahmabarada branch of the PACS in the Rasulpur block of the district.
As per the complaint, Najerun Sultan was a member of PACS. She complained that she had taken a loan of Rs 20,000 from PACS in 2015. From 2015, she had been taking loan and repaying it regularly.
But in 2017, the PACS Secretary said that she could not take more loans till her credit limit matter was solved. From then no loans were given to her from the PACS.
Although she had complained regarding this, the Rasulpur PACS secretary ignored it. Najerun needed the loan for her Kharif crop, but in the name of credit limit PACS officials put her in trouble.
As per rules, the PACS have to call a general body meeting two times in a month. But no meeting was conducted by the PACS and Najerun could not complain at the general body meeting. She has requested the Deputy Registrar of the PACS to solve her problem.
In Markandpur, four families of the PACS had illegally purchased 1,112 quintals of paddy in the name of four farmers in 2015-16. It is learnt that a fraud of Rs 19 lakh was committed in the name of the four farmers in 2015-16 during paddy procurement.
The farmers had taken up the issue with the administration, but the latter did not act. The farmers then moved the High Court.
On July 3, the High Court directed the Joint Director of the Odisha State Cooperative Society to probe the irregularities and submit documents to the court by July 20. The final hearing of the case will be held September 7.
The fact that officials fraudulently misappropriated the money in the name of the four farmers was proven in court. So it is expected that September 7 the court will register a case against the PACS supply officer.
A well-oiled racket is involved in the frauds which had been going on for years, observers said. When the CSO of Jajpur, Surendra Kumar Hota, was contacted on the phone, his mobile phone was found switched off.
When ARCS Sarat Mallik was asked about this, he said the court will take a decision on the Marakandapur matter after interrogating the supply officer.
PNN