Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Wednesday blamed the Centre's system of allowing farmers to register themselves on a portal to become beneficiaries of the PM Kisan scheme, for the major scam in Tamil Nadu in which ₹110 crore was fraudulently credited to 5.5 lakh ineligible persons.
During an interaction with reporters in Tiruvannamalai after a review meeting, Mr. Palaniswami said legal action would be taken against all those responsible for the scam in the PM Kisan scheme. He said that the scam unfolded only in the past four months in 13 districts. While there were 41 lakh farmers, who were beneficiaries of the scheme so far, it was noticed that it rose to 46 lakh within a few months and it raised suspicion, he said.
Elaborating on the steps being taken by the State government over the scam, the CM said a total of 18 persons have been arrested in connection with the case and 81 contract staff have been dismissed, besides initiating departmental action against 34 government officials.
To a query on the expansion of highways in Tiruvannamalai district, he defended the government's plan to expand and to lay more roads, contending it was necessary for industrial growth in various parts of the State. He questioned whether there was no road expansion during the erstwhile DMK regime. Detailing on the steps being taken against the spread of COVID-19, he said about 85,000 tests were being undertaken every day. (EOM) DSJ
