Question : Kisan Call Centre

(a) whether the Government is aware that an agency in the name of “Kisan Seva Kendra” having Government of India logo has been allegedly running the Kisan Call Centres scheme illegally and duping job seekers and gullible unemployed youth by asking them to deposit huge sums of money for application form and registration fee;

(b) if so, the details of the modusoperandi of the said scheme; and

(c) the corrective action taken by the Government in this regard and the steps taken by the Government to apprehend the fraudsters involved and to ensure that there is not any misuse of the Government schemes?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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(a) & (b): Complaints have been received that a agency named “Kisan Seva Kendra’’ has allegedly duped job seekers in the name of Kisan Call Centre Scheme.

As reported by complainants, modus operandi of the said agency is to issue advertisements having strong resemblance with the Government of India Scheme ‘Kisan Call Centre’. Fake website addresses with Govt logos are given to lend credence to such bogus advertisements. The gullible youth are asked to contact on a given telephone number and a telephonic interview is then carried out. Thereafter, the candidate is declared selected and he/she is asked to deposit a security amount in a given Bank Account Number. A fake offer letter is also issued simultaneously.

(c): Government has requested Chief Secretary and Police authorities for investigating the matter in their respective States and taking stringent action against the fraudsters. The complainants have also been advised to file FIR with local authorities. An alert has also been uploaded on Department’s website as a caution to the general public.
The Government has also taken following other actions –
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(i) Agriculture Production Commissioners /Principal Secretary (Agriculture)/Secretary (Agriculture) / Director (Agriculture) of all States have been requested to create requisite awareness amongst general public and likely candidates of their States about such fraudulent advertisements and to take stern action against such fraudulent agencies.

(ii) Advertisements have been issued in the leading and local newspapers from time to time in different parts of the country to alert people not to pay any security money against such fraudulent advertisements and jobs offered by fake agencies.

(iii) Scrolling message was also issued on Doordarshan alerting general public against such misleading advertisements on employment in Kisan Call Centre or related organizations.
(iv) All Kisan Call Centers under the Government of India Scheme have been advised to guide and alert the public who call on the toll free number 1800-180-1551 seeking clarification on any such fraudulent advertisements.


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