CPI seeks high-level probe into alleged irregularities in PDMC scheme

PNS

Ranchi

The Communist Party of India (CPI) has demanded a high-level inquiry into alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) scheme in Jharkhand, accusing officials and private companies of collusion in supplying substandard materials.

A CPI delegation led by Ranchi district secretary Ajay Kumar Singh submitted a memorandum to Agriculture Director Vidya Shankar Sharma Pankaj, seeking immediate action against those responsible.

According to the party, plastic components used under the scheme during the 2022-23 financial year were tested by the Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET). The inspection report dated May 17, 2023, reportedly found serious quality deficiencies, prompting the then Agriculture Director to blacklist 12–13 companies on September 1, 2023.

Despite the blacklisting, CPI alleged that the same companies continue to participate in the scheme, either directly or through proxy firms, resulting in financial losses to farmers and misuse of public funds.

The party also claimed that a departmental inquiry conducted in Hazaribagh had recommended action against the companies and the concerned District Agriculture Officer, but those recommendations have not yet been implemented.

CPI has demanded strict enforcement of the blacklisting order, a comprehensive investigation into the alleged nexus between officials and suppliers, and action against those found guilty. The party warned that it would launch an agitation if corrective measures are not taken promptly to protect farmers’ interests.