The Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has requested Union Minister of Rural Development Narendra Singh Tomar to order a detailed inquiry into alleged misappropriation of National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) funds in Livestock Livelihoods (LLH) unit of Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) in 2018-19 and 2019-20.
In a communication to the Minister, a copy of which was released to the media on Sunday, party national executive member P. Shekar Rao charged that ₹10 crore was misappropriated in the name of technician training to ‘Pashumitras’.
Mr. Rao explained that 2,875 Livestock Farmer Producer Groups (LFPGs) were formed to enhance the animal productivity and value of produce of women self-help groups. But, more than 75% of LFPG members do not possess a single sheep/goat and more number of LFPGs were formed for the “sake of commissions” on purchase of items not at all useful for the purpose.
Equipment like digital weighing machines, drenching gun, de-sticking sprayer and vaccine carrier were purchased without inviting any tenders. There was misappropriation of funds through purchase of ‘Pashumitra’ kits through printing job work of manual, registers, animal health cards, flip charts etc., he claimed
“Crore of rupees were spent to train more than 2,300 SHG members as ‘Pashumitras’ without obtaining accreditation from the director of animal husbandry department or from the veterinary university which is a mandatory requirement,” he said. The BJP further accused that the particulars available with Telangana SERP are ‘bogus’ only to show it a success and called for necessary action after getting the probe into these irregularities.
