Union Minister of State for Agriculture Bhagirath Choudhary accused of taking ₹99 lakh subsidy.
Subsidy was approved by the National Horticulture Board (NHB), under his own ministry.
Opposition has targeted the minister, calling it a case of conflict of interest.
The minister has dismissed the allegations, stating the benefit was availed as per rules.
Ajmer | Bhagirath Choudhary, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and MP from Ajmer, Rajasthan, is embroiled in a major political controversy. He is accused of receiving an agricultural subsidy of over ₹99 lakh from a board under his own ministry, which the opposition has termed a 'conflict of interest'.
What is the ₹99 Lakh Subsidy Controversy?
The entire issue revolves around Minister Bhagirath Choudhary obtaining a government subsidy for a high-tech agricultural project at his personal farmhouse. The project was approved by the National Horticulture Board (NHB).
The primary cause of the controversy is that the National Horticulture Board operates directly under the Union Ministry of Agriculture. As the Minister of State in this ministry, Bhagirath Choudhary himself falls into the category of the board's ex-officio Vice-Chairman.
Opposition parties have strongly objected to this. They allege that it is morally and legally wrong for a minister's private commercial project to receive such a large government allocation from the very department he heads.
Project Cost and Fast-Track Clearance
According to media reports, the entire project is for cucumber production in Peeh village of Didwana-Kuchaman district. The total cost of this polyhouse project is stated to be around ₹1.99 crore.
Out of this, the minister invested ₹49.8 lakh from his own funds, while a loan of ₹1.49 crore was taken from HDFC Bank. The government-approved subsidy of ₹99.03 lakh was directly credited to his bank loan account.
Reports also claim that the application for the in-principle approval of this project was cleared at the administrative level in just 14 days, raising questions about the speed of the process.
Minister Bhagirath Choudhary has outrightly rejected all these allegations. He has described it as a benefit availed entirely as per the rules and has denied any wrongdoing.
This matter has ignited a new political debate. While the minister and the government claim it is within the rules, the opposition considers it a clear example of misuse of power and is demanding an investigation. The incident also raises serious questions about the standards of ethical conduct for individuals in public office.
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