Accusing Prahlad Mehta, a clerk cum computer operator of Garhwa’s Rural Development Department, of cheating, the Deputy Commissioner of the district Rajesh Kumar Pathak has sought his termination.

Pathak has even written a letter to the Secretary of the Rural Development Department recommending his termination after Mehta was reinstated on contract at the District Rural Development Agency, who had been accused of discrepancies in the selection of beneficiaries under a solar pump scheme of the Jharkhand Renewable Energy Development Agency. Under this scheme, a 90 per cent subsidy was provided to farmers who do not have wells for irrigation, to buy solar pumps.

In this regard, District Agriculture Officer cum Nodal Officer of this scheme Laxman Oraon is also under the scanner.

DC has accused him of not doing his duty properly and has asked him for an explanation.

Oraon, who was in charge of the scheme, had later discovered that the list of beneficiaries sent by the Department of Agriculture to the Deputy Development Commissioner had been manipulated by Mehta.

The inquiry team formed by Pathak found out that seven out of the 41 selected beneficiaries had not even applied scheme, while 20 applicants did not meet the criteria.

Pathak has recommended stern action to be taken against those who have been found guilty during the investigation.

Under the said scheme, the government had agreed to give a 90 per cent subsidy to 400 farmers to buy the pumps, provided they do not have irrigation facilities. A large number of applications were submitted, surpassing the target, to enjoy the benefits of the scheme, as the solar pumps cost Rs.3 lakh each.