Chandigarh, February 27
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday factually rejected the Opposition’s allegation of a Rs. 5,000 crore scam in paddy procurement, stating that the Opposition, having no substantive issues to raise, is attempting to mislead the House with unverified claims by introducing calling attention motion on this issue.
Responding to the allegations made by MLA, Ashok Arora, the Chief Minister, said that such serious accusations should be supported by credible evidence. He urged the Opposition to place any proof before the House instead of making unfounded assertions. He clarified that paddy procurement in Haryana is conducted strictly in accordance with Government of India guidelines through authorized agencies and is monitored under a robust, multi-layered system. The claim of a Rs. 5,000 crore scam, he said, is entirely without factual basis.
Drawing a comparison with previous governments, the Chief Minister apprised the House that in earlier times, systemic gaps often led to irregularities that adversely affected farmers. In contrast, under the leadership of Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi, the Double Engine Government, has implemented structural reforms to enhance transparency, accountability and farmer welfare. Farmers today, he said, have clarity regarding their income and are assured procurement of their produce at the Minimum Support Price.
Highlighting reforms introduced by the present government, he noted that the procurement system has been digitized from the farm level, including the introduction of a digital gate-pass mechanism to enhance transparency. He also emphasized that while farmers previously had to wait for months, sometimes even up to a year, to receive payments, the current system ensures timely disbursement.
The Chief Minister further said that if any instance of fake slips, duplicate entries or other irregularities has been detected, the government has acted promptly and firmly. Unlike in the past, when irregularities often went unchecked, the present system identifies discrepancies and ensures corrective action. He said that farmers are not concerned; rather, it is the Opposition that appears unsettled. He asked them to clarify what action they had taken against irregularities during their tenure. At the same time, the Chief Minister invited constructive suggestions, assuring that the government remains open to positive inputs aimed at strengthening the procurement process.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability, he said that procurement operations — from the arrival of paddy in mandis to the return of rice from millers — are monitored at every stage. Complaints received are being examined, and any wrongdoing will invite strict action. He reiterated that the government will not tolerate irregularities and remains committed to continuously strengthening the system to safeguard farmers’ interests.
During the Opposition’s tenure, irregularities were rampant and rarely detected
The Chief Minister stated that paddy procurement is carried out through government agencies in strict accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Government of India, with the entire process monitored through a multi-tier mechanism. This system had been in place for years; however, the present government has introduced significant reforms.
He said that from the arrival of paddy in the mandis to the return of rice by millers, checks have now been instituted at every stage. The Opposition, he remarked, is unwilling to acknowledge these reforms. During their time in office, irregular practices were commonplace and largely went unchecked. In contrast, under the new system implemented by the current state government, any malpractice is promptly detected and dealt with firmly. He further added that the government is continuously strengthening the system and is committed to making it fully robust and foolproof.
He informed the House that while the system had been continuing for years, his government introduced structural reforms. From the arrival of paddy in the mandi to the return of rice from rice millers, checks have now been placed at every stage. He said that earlier irregularities continued and no one was caught, but under the new system, any irregularity is detected, and strict action is taken. He further asserted that the government is continuously strengthening the system and will make it completely foolproof.
The Chief Minister further clarified that farmers register their crop on the ‘Meri Fasal Mera Byora portal’, which is duly verified to ascertain sown area and assess production accurately. Therefore, allegations that there is no effective verification mechanism on the portal are incorrect. He informed the House that during the Kharif season 2025-26, State procurement agencies procured 62 lakh 13 thousand metric tonnes of non-basmati paddy at Minimum Support Price from 3 lakh 1 thousand farmers. As per the Meri Fasal Mera Byora portal of the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, a total of 30 lakh 17 thousand 968 acres under non-basmati paddy was verified in the previous season, and estimated production was assessed at 97 lakh 86 thousand metric tonnes, said Sh. Nayab Singh Saini.
The Chief Minister further emphasized that the procurement policy is completely data-based. Crop arrival figures in mandis are estimated, whereas procurement figures are recorded on the basis of actual weight after cleaning and measurement.
Strict Action: 12 FIRs, 75 Departmental Inquiries, 28 Suspensions
The Chief Minister shared that complaints of irregularities were received in some mandis. During October and November 2025, joint committees were constituted in all districts, and physical verification of paddy stored in rice mills was conducted. Wherever prima facie irregularities were found, 12 FIRs were registered against concerned officers, employees, commission agents and rice millers. Investigations are being conducted impartially and transparently, and arrests of involved persons have also been made, said Sh. Nayab Singh Saini.
He further shared that, additionally, the Food and Supplies Department, procurement agencies and the Marketing Board initiated departmental inquiries against 75 officers and employees, out of which 28 have been suspended. A recovery of Rs. 6 crore 37 lakh has been made from rice millers and deposited into the government treasury. Payments to labour, lifting and transport contractors associated with suspected paddy lifting have been stopped, and their role is under investigation. This clearly shows that our government does not tolerate negligence or corruption at any level, informed Saini.
The government’s data reflects the true on-ground realities and has not been inflated or manipulated in any manner
The Chief Minister said that certain members have raised concerns regarding discrepancies between the figures of crop arrivals and procurement. He clarified that the arrival figures recorded at any mandi are largely based on estimates, whereas procurement figures are entered after weighment and reflect the actual measured quantity. He cited the examples of Ambala, Fatehabad, Kaithal, Karnal, and Sirsa districts, where no abnormal variation has been observed between arrival and procurement data.
He said that allegations of a 30 to 50 percent discrepancy, he said, are baseless and devoid of facts. In Mahendragarh and Rewari districts, there was no paddy arrival or procurement during the Kharif marketing season 2025–26, which further underscores that the government’s data is grounded in reality and has not been artificially inflated or manipulated.
The Chief Minister further stated that the Government of India had assigned the state a target of 8 lakh metric tonnes of Custom Milled Rice (CMR), permitting up to 10 percent broken rice. This target has nearly been achieved, and timely supply to the Food Corporation of India is being ensured, he said.
Saini said that the issue had also been raised during the December 2025 session through a Calling Attention motion, following which the government took suo motu cognizance and initiated both an inquiry and corrective measures. The double-engine government, he emphasized, believes in proactive governance rather than reactive measures, he said.
E-Procurement Portal being Upgraded; Geo-Tagging, Biometric Verification and CCTV to Enhance Transparency
Saini said that to prevent any recurrence of irregularities, the e-procurement portal is being comprehensively upgraded. Beginning with the upcoming Rabi and Kharif marketing seasons 2026–27, several technology-driven measures will be introduced, including geo-tagged gate passes, automatic number plate recognition for vehicles, geo-fencing of mandis, warehouses and rice mills, and installation of CCTV cameras at entry and exit points.
The Chief Minister said that, in addition, provisions such as biometric verification of farmers and physical inspections through a mobile application will be implemented. Physical verification will now be strictly conducted within the geo-fenced framework to ensure that designated officials carry out inspections on-site, thereby eliminating any possibility of paperwork-based formalities or manipulation. He further informed that on December 11, 2025, the per-acre yield limit was revised to ensure better alignment between actual production and procurement data.
He also highlighted a landmark decision taken in the interest of pearl millet (bajra) farmers. Under the ‘Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana’, farmers are being compensated at the rate of Rs. 575 per quintal. Approximately 1.57 lakh farmers have benefited from the procurement of 6.23 lakh metric tonnes of bajra, with Rs. 358.62 crore being directly transferred into their bank accounts.
Haryana’s initiative saves over Rs.700 core in fertilizer subsidy
The Chief Minister stated that the Meri Fasal Mera Byora portal has been integrated with the IFMS portal for fertilizer sales. This integration has curbed the diversion of DAP to industrial use and prevented the outflow of urea beyond the state. As a result, in less than five months, savings exceeding Rs. 700 crore have been achieved in the national fertilizer subsidy bill, an achievement made possible solely due to the Meri Fasal Mera Byora (MFMB) portal.
He said that the Central Government is encouraging other states to adopt a similar system to ensure that fertilizer subsidies reach only eligible farmers. Haryana, he noted, remains the only state so far to have successfully implemented such a mechanism.
Through the MFMB. and e-procurement systems, the government has directly transferred Rs. 1.64 lakh crore into farmers’ bank accounts over the past 12 crop seasons. Reiterating the government’s commitment, the Chief Minister asserted that farmers’ rights will not be compromised under any circumstances.
The Chief Minister said that strict action will be taken against anyone found guilty, regardless of position or rank. He assured the House that the government remains steadfast in protecting farmers’ interests, with farmer-centric policies, transparent processes and clear intent at the core of its governance approach.
