Chennai: Amid reports in a few sections of the media that the Tamilnadu government has decided to suspend Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana in the State after scams were reported in the scheme, a top official has denied any such move.
Agriculture Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi has said the scheme has not been suspended in the State. The CBCID is carrying out investigation in the scam and several arrests have been made already in connection to the case.
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami had said that legal action would be taken against all those involved in the PM-Kisan scheme scam.
Talking to reporters, he said it was the Tamilnadu government which had unearthed the scam and ordered a CB-CID probe into it. He said legal action would be taken against all those involved in the scheme.
Palaniswami said since a large number of people have benefitted under the scheme in the last four months, the officials grew suspicious and launched a probe, which led to unearthing of the scam.
Irregularities to the tune of Rs 110 crore have been detected in the scam which took place in 13 districts and more than Rs 30 crore had been recovered.
A total of 18 people were arrested and the government said the entire money deposited in the account of illegal beneficiaries would be recovered by freezing their accounts in the next one month.