Boisar MLA alleges cattle meant for poor and handicapped not reaching them

MUMBAI: On paper the poor and handicapped persons in Palghar may have received milk yielding cattle at subsidized rates under a government scheme. But in reality the animals have not reached the farmers.
The Boisar MLA Vilas Tare has made a written complaint to the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Palghar Zilla Parishad, Prakash Devrishi, alleging that milch cows, buffaloes and goats meant for the poor to undertake dairy farming was being sold in the open market by officials of the Animal Husbandry department.
Under the government scheme those below the poverty line get a 75 per cent subsidy to buy a cattle. Handicapped persons get it free of cost. Of the 20 beneficiaries short-listed under the scheme for the financial year 2014-15 in Palghar, not a single person received any cattle. The records of the Animal Husbandry Department, however, shows that animals have been distributed to those on the list, said Tare.
Records show that a physically handicapped beneficiary Bandhu Jadhav received a buffalo free of cost under the scheme. Jadhav alleged that while he was made to pose with a buffalo for a photograph, he did not get the animal.
Some of the beneficiaries were given Rs 20,000 each instead of the cattle. Tare alleged that the cattle meant for the under privileged may have been sold in the open market. Milk yielding cows and buffaloes fetch between Rs 50,000 to Rs 95,000.
Devrishi confirmed that Tare had made a complaint about the cattle not reaching the beneficiaries. He said that an inquiry would be initiated into the matter. Tare said that it was likely that similar cattle scam may be on in other talukas of Palghar district and across the state.