HC directs UP govt to conclude inquiry in 3 months

The Allahabad High Court has directed Uttar Pradesh principal secretary (Agriculture) to get concluded within three months an inquiry on alleged anomalies in purchasing tractors, other agricultural items for providing these on subsidy to farmers of the state and also in the selection of farmers for this purpose.
The order was passed by a division bench of justices Amreshwar Pratap Sahi and Sanjay Harkauli of the bench here on November 22 on a PIL filed by Neelesh Saraswat, seeking directions for proper action into the matter expeditiously.
An inquiry had been conducted by the UP State Agro Industrial Corporation Ltd. Which had been sent to the state government on August 25, 2015.

The petitioner submitted that the tractors, seeds and other agricultural items which had to been provided to the farmers on subsidy were purchased during last BSP government.
He alleged that those farmers who did not fulfil the criteria for subsidy were selected and there were anomalies in purchasing these agricultural items.
The state counsel informed the court that the state government had issued interrogatories on four matters to which a complete reply had not yet been received from the department officials.
He submitted that some appropriate direction be given for concluding the inquiry that had been undertaken by the state government.

"We direct the respondent no 1 (Principal secretary Agriculture department govt. Of UP) to proceed to get the inquiry concluded on the issue raised as expeditiously as possible after collecting such information that may be necessary on this regard from the appropriate officials and concluded the same preferably with in a period of three months from today," the court ordered.