'Farmers Avail Subsidies, I Did Too': What Minister Bhagirath Choudhary Said on Rs 99-Lakh Farm Subsidy
Mangaluru: Union Minister of State (MoS) for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Bhagirath Choudhary has defended his receipt of a government subsidy of nearly Rs 99 lakh for a commercial cucumber farming project, following an investigative report by The Indian Express that raised questions over the grant being sanctioned under a scheme administered by the ministry in which he now serves.
According to The Indian Express, Choudhary received a subsidy of approximately Rs 99.6 lakh under the National Horticulture Board (NHB) for a Rs 1.99 crore cucumber cultivation project in Rajasthan. The report noted that Choudhary currently serves as the ex-officio vice-president of the NHB by virtue of his position as Union MoS for Agriculture, prompting questions over a potential conflict of interest. The newspaper reported that Choudhary had originally applied for the subsidy in 2018, before assuming ministerial office.
Responding to the controversy, Choudhary said he had followed all prescribed rules and procedures and had not concealed any information. Speaking to ANI, he said he had been involved in agriculture since childhood and that thousands of farmers avail themselves of similar subsidies.
"I am a farmer and have been into agriculture since my childhood. I have not hidden anything. Thousands of farmers avail subsidies. So, I did too. I had applied for it in 2018," Choudhary said.
He further stated that details of the loans and subsidies associated with the project had been displayed at the farm and that local officials had inspected the site. Choudhary maintained that he had committed no wrongdoing.
The subsidy was sanctioned under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), a centrally sponsored scheme implemented through the NHB for eligible commercial horticulture projects. The scheme provides financial assistance of up to 50% of the project cost, subject to prescribed ceilings and eligibility criteria.
The grants is part of a broader government initiative to encourage commercial horticulture projects, with subsidies released after applicants meet the scheme's prescribed eligibility, inspection and documentation requirements.
The Indian Express investigation did not allege that Choudhary had violated the scheme's eligibility requirements. Instead, it questioned whether it was appropriate for a serving minister to benefit from a subsidy administered by an organisation over which he now exercises oversight in an ex-officio capacity.
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