Question : IRREGULARITY IN KRISHI VIGYAN KENDRAS

(a) whether reports of administrative and financial irregularities in many Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) of the country have been received by the Government;

(b) if so, the effective steps being taken by the Government to check these irregularites;

(c) whether the Government had constituted Chaturvedi Committee to inquire into these irregularities;

(d) if so, the details of the report of this committee; and

(e) the reaction of the Government in regard to staff suspended on the basis of this report?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE(SHRI HUKUMDEO NARAYAN YADAV)

(a) Some reports of irregularities in KVKs have been received.

(b) The procedure of release of funds has been linked to performance review. Funds are released by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to the Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) after receiving the Audit Utilization Certificate and its verification by the Zonal Coordinating Units.

(c) The Committee under the Chairmanship of Shri A.K. Chaturvedi, Deputy Secretary, ICAR was constituted to investigate only one complaint relating to the functioning of KVK which is at Sironj, Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh.

(d) The Committee has made detailed comments about recruitment, financial procedure, award of contract/purchase, and maintenance of records.

(e) The staff of the KVK have filed cases in the Hon`ble High Court of Gwalior and the matter is subjudice.