TN SIT to probe Kisan Scheme scam; public info to be rewarded

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu CBCID on Friday said that it has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by its DGP to probe alleged irregularities into the Central government’s “Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi.” Scam in the State. The police also announced rewards for information from the public.

Under the scheme an income support of Rs 6,000 per year in three equal instalments is provided to small and marginal farmers having combined land holding/ownership of up to two hectares.

The CB-CID said on Friday that the SIT has been set up to look into allegations of a large number of ineligible farmers availing benefits of the scheme using fraudulent means. “Complaints were received that many ineligible farmers were inducted and availed benefits through malpractices with connivance of officials and outsourcing agencies,” a CB-CID release said. Based on the complaints, 13 cases were registered under appropriate penal Sections in various district units of the CB-CID. So far, 52 people have been arrested.

The SIT, under DGP Prateep V Philip, will have one Inspector General of Police, two SPs, six DSPs and 18 inspectors.

CHENNAI: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, on Friday, wrote a Demi Official (DO) letter to Union Minister of Electronics and IT, Communications, Ravi Shankar Prasad, urging the Centre to allot 10,000 seats under India BPO promotion scheme, of the central government. The scheme is synchronous with the state government’s vision for creating employment in the rural areas, Palaniswami said.

“India BPO promotion scheme is very successful in Tamil Nadu which has resulted in providing 7,705 seats in Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), Chennai region alone includes 7,605 seats in Tamil Nadu and 100 seats in Puducherry to the BPO industry in the region. Given the tremendous success of this scheme, in Tamil Nadu, I (Palaniswami) request you to allot 10,000 seats under the India BPO Promotion Scheme to Tamil Nadu” wrote the Chief Minister.

India BPO promotion scheme was launched in 2019 to incentivise BPOs and Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES) operations across the country for the creation of employment opportunities for youth and growth of IT and ITES industry.

The Chief Minister said that he would appreciate the central government for launching the scheme to incentivise Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and ITES industry for setting up their operations in Tier-II and Tier-III cities across the country for employment generation. This scheme has provided viability gap funding for setting up 48,300 seats with a total outlay of Rs 493 crore across the country.

He also said that the scheme had resulted in creating direct employment for 8,387 people and indirect employment for 16,774 people. “The success rate of this scheme in Tamil Nadu in terms of commencement of operation is more than 93%,” he added.

The scheme has resulted in setting up of 51 India Business Process Outsourcing Promotion Scheme (IBPS) units in 13 Tier-II and Tier-III cities in the State. The scheme is in synchronous with the State government’s vision for creating employment in the rural areas, added Palaniswami.

The scheme had resulted in creating direct employment for 8,387 people and indirect employment for 16,774 people. The success rate of the scheme in Tamil Nadu in terms of commencement of operation is over 93%—Edappadi K Palaniswami, CM