Karnataka Agriculture Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy has ordered an investigation into a suspected crop insurance scam involving substandard seeds in the Gadag district. The probe was triggered after farmers in the region reported poor germination and crop failures despite being covered under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). The Minister, who recently visited the affected areas, acknowledged concerns that farmers were allegedly sold low-quality seeds and may have been misguided about insurance procedures.
Officials from the Agriculture and Revenue Departments have been directed to submit a detailed report. The Minister assured that stringent action would be taken against those responsible, including seed suppliers and officials, if negligence or fraud is proven. He also emphasized the need for better coordination between departments to prevent such issues in the future and restore farmers’ trust in government schemes and crop insurance programs.
