A sum of ₹14.26 crore was credited into the bank accounts of 77, 254 ineligible persons under the PM-KISAN Nidhi scheme in Cuddalore district, the district administration has found.

The third instalment of the money was transferred to the bank accounts of beneficiaries recently -- under the scheme that was conceived of in 2018. The PM-KISAN Nidhi scheme aims to give ₹6,000 a year in three instalments to farmers who own up to two hectares of cultivable land.

Although only farmers are eligible for benefits under the scheme, the administration found that over 77,000 ineligible beneficiaries including non-farmers and people from neighbouring States and districts had also availed of the benefits.

After the scam came to light, Cuddalore district Collector Chandra Sekhar Sakhamuri ordered a field verification and survey to exclude the ineligible beneficiaries. Giving details of the verification exercise, Mr. Sakhamuri said that a total of 80,737 persons were registered under the scheme. “Of these, as many as 35,231 persons from other districts and States who had availed of the benefits were found to be ineligible. The administration alerted the districts and States to freeze these bank accounts,” he said.

Similarly, a total of 43,075 persons from Cuddalore district were found to be ineligible while 3,483 were found to be genuine beneficiaries under the scheme. In addition, as many as 26,634 persons from Cuddalore district had availed of the benefits in other districts, the survey found, he said.

The cash was credited in 226 bank branches across the district he said, adding that the administration has appointed 126 nodal officers from the Departments of Agriculture and Horticulture to recover the cash. The administration has recovered ₹5 crore so far, while another ₹9.16 crore has to be recovered from the accounts of ineligible beneficiaries.

“Most of the ineligible beneficiaries were from 220 villages in the district. As many as 170 teams have been formed to conduct physical verification in the villages and recover the amount,, Mr. Sakhamuri said.

The Joint Director of Agriculture has already lodged a police complaint while the CB-CID police have also launched a detailed investigation into the modus operandi and the possible leakage of information. More details will be available on those involved in the irregularities at the end of the investigation, he said.

The administration has already terminated the services of three contractual employees for their alleged role in the incident, he added.