THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE (SHRI NAMO NARAIN MEENA)
(a) to (e): Based on the observations made by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor
General of India (C&AG) on the implementation of the Agricultural Debt Waiver and Debt
Relief Scheme (ADWDRS), 2008, the Government had issued instructions to the Reserve Bank
of India (RBI) to advise banks to take immediate corrective measures. Accordingly, circulars
have been issued to all Public Sector Banks, Private Sector Banks, Urban Cooperative banks
and Local Area Banks, for which RBI was the Implementing Agency for the Scheme, to comply
with the Government directions. It has, inter-alia, been advised as under:
i) The beneficiaries` lists need complete verification with priority being given to areas
where indebtedness was high.
ii) Administrative/accounting lapses on the part of the officials, internal auditors and
statutory auditors who were responsible for verification, certification, or for passing the
claims be identified and accountability fixed for the lapses.
iii) Cases of extending benefits to ineligible beneficiaries must be dealt with on top
priority and full recoveries as per law must be made to ensure no loss to the exchequer.
iv) All cases of tampering of records or alteration, etc. must be identified and scrutinized
by higher authority. Stringent action under relevant sections of law against those responsible
must be initiated.
Banks have been, inter alia, advised to indicate specifically, in terms of the monthly reporting
format, if any criminality has been detected and if any FIRs have been lodged, etc.
