After Minister, Secretary’s family availed of agriculture scheme, new rules bar them

Nearly two months after The Indian Express exposed a Union Minister and a Central government secretary's relatives receiving subsidies for cucumber farms, the central government has revised the guidelines for the National Horticulture Board's (NHB) commercial horticulture and cold storage schemes. The amendments, effective as of August 21, expand the definition of "family" to include the spouse, parents, and children of the subsidy applicant.

Additionally, constitutional posts, serving ministers, MPs, MLAs, mayors, district panchayat chiefs, and government employees are now ineligible for financial assistance under NHB schemes. The National Horticulture Board, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, made these changes to rationalize financial assistance, ensure equitable distribution, prevent subsidy duplication, and enhance scheme implementation transparency.

The revised guidelines stipulate that only one family member can avail financial assistance under NHB schemes, and any such assistance availed by a family member renders further assistance unavailable to other members. The government has also reduced the subsidy component from 50% to 35% for beneficiaries in general category states and 45% in North Eastern or Himalayan states.