Anti-Corruption activist alleges ₹88 crore scam in agriculture dept under Dhananjay Munde

Anjali Damania alleges ₹88 crore scam in Maharashtra agriculture department under Dhananjay Munde, sparking political controversy.

Activist Anjali Damania on Tuesday (February 4, 2025) alleged that there was a ₹88 crore scam in the agriculture department when NCP leader Dhananjay Munde held the portfolio in the previous Mahayuti coalition government in Maharashtra.

Mr. Munde, currently a minister for Food and Civil Supplies, termed her allegations as "baseless" and politically motivated.

Despite the Union government's 2016 directive to transfer money directly to farmers' bank accounts under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), the agriculture department purchased equipment and fertilisers for distribution to farmers at inflated rates, claimed Ms. Damania, a former Aam Aadmi Party leader.

Dhananjay Munde is already under fire over the arrest of his aide Walmik Karad in an extortion case related to the murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh in Beed district.

Speaking at a press conference here, Ms. Damania presented documents related to the alleged scam.

"These documents are proof of how the minister siphoned off farmers' money and violated laws. As per the government resolution (GR) on DBT, all scheme-related funds were to be transferred directly to farmers' bank accounts, except for certain government entities such as Mahabeej, KVK, and MAIDC, which produce their own goods. However, this rule was disregarded," Damania claimed.

She referred to a GR dated September 12, 2018, which listed 62 components under DBT.