CID gets nod to prosecute Agriculture officers

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, July 14: The Assam government has given sanction for prosecution against 31 officers of the Agriculture department allegedly involved in corruption and irregularities.

The CID, which is probing a slew of irregularities in the Agriculture department, had sought the prosecution sanction.

“There have been a lot of allegations against some officers. Each and every case will be probed. The government will not give indulgence to such malpractices. The guilty will be punished,” Agriculture minister Atul Bora said.

Last year, as many as 343 Class I gazetted officers of the Agricultural department, apprehending arrests in connection with the scams, had secured anticipatory bails from the Gauhati High Court.

The Assam Public Works and Krishak Sramik Unyan Parishad had lodged separate cases with the CID, alleging misappropriation of hundreds of crores meant for Central government schemes.

The APW has alleged that crores of rupees of public money were misappropriated by Agriculture department officials on the pretext of a lime distribution scheme and ‘Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India (BGREI)’, a sub scheme of the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yoja.

The APW had med former Agriculture minister Nilomonisen Deka, Director Kabindra Borkakoti, Joint Director Upen Borah, Khapara Agriculture Development officer Majam Ali Akanda and contractor Sanowar Hussain in the case. Meanwhile, the Agriculture minister said vacant posts of gram sevaks will be filled up soon. “We have also directed Agriculture officers to go the fields and not just sit in their offices,” Atul Bora added.