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79 orchardists defrauded of ₹8 cr by commission agents, loaders: Himachal minister
The information was shared by the Himachal Pradesh agriculture minister Chander Kumar on Wednesday in the assembly during question hour
In the last three years, 379 orchardists in Himachal were defrauded of ₹8.05 crore by the commission agents and loaders who fled without making payment of their produce.
The information was shared by the agriculture minister Chander Kumar on Wednesday in the assembly during question hour. He was responding to a question from Theog MLA Kuldeep Singh Rathore.
Out of the ₹8.05 crore, payment of ₹1.93 crore was made to the orchardists, while ₹6.12 crore is still pending, he further informed. Cases of such frauds have been filed with the agricultural produce marketing committee (APMC).
The highest number of complaints--191--have been received from Solan district with orchardists not receiving ₹3.37 crore by transporters, said Kumar, further adding that 12 complaints have been resolved in Solan so far, and horticulturists have been paid ₹98.34 lakh. Action is underway in other cases. Challans have been filed in court against 16 defaulting commission agents and loaders.
Meanwhile, Shimla APMC has received 144 complaints. Loaders were accused of embezzling ₹4.24 crore worth of payments from orchardists. In his response, the agriculture minister said that payments totaling ₹78.79 lakh have been made to orchardists in 35 cases, adding that payment of ₹3.44 crore are still pending.
Kumar further informed the House that APMC Kullu-Lahaul Spiti received 44 complaints with fraud worth ₹45.38 lakh. However, ₹15.09 lakh has been disbursed to orchardists, while ₹30.31 lakh remains outstanding with the commission agents and loaders.
Speaking to the media outside the House, Rathore said that these are the registered cases. In many cases, gardeners do not file complaints. He said that the functioning of the APMC needs improvement. Outside traders should not be allowed to trade without proper investigation.
BJP govt used jal jeevan mission funds for rest houses construction: Agnihotri
Deputy chief minister Mukesh Agnihotri on Wednesday informed the House that a sum of ₹37.58 crore had been spent on the construction of 19 rest houses in Dharampur and Seraj Assembly segments of Mandi district from the Jal jeevan mission (JMM) during the previous BJP regime despite there being no mandate for it.
Replying to a question of Congress MLA from Dharampur assembly constituency, Chander Shekher, Agnihotri said that JJM funds were not used to provide water to the people but to build 19 rest houses in Dharampur and Seraj Assembly segments.
Agnihotri further informed that ₹1,227 crore, out of the total amount of ₹6,395 crore, approved for Himachal under the JJM by the Centre, was still pending.
“Twelve rest houses, worth ₹26.11 crore were made in Dharampur assembly constituency and seven in Seraj for ₹11.47 crore in Mandi district from the JJM despite there being no provision for it in the project,” he informed. He said the Centre had said that this amount spent on rest houses would have to be borne by the state government.
“Work on two rest houses is still incomplete while ₹1.42 crore is being spent by the government on maintenance and staff of these 19 rest houses in Dharampur and Seraj alone. Now no rest house can be made anywhere in the state without the Cabinet’s approval,” he informed the House.
Remaining instalments of MLA local area devp funds to be released before March 31: CM
Addressing the concerns of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday said that pending ₹1.10 crore instalments of MLA local area development funds to be released before March 31.
Sukhu, replying to a query by Jogindernagar MLA Prakash Rana during Question Hour, clarified that his government is contemplating as to how much percentage of the MLA Land Area Development (LAD) Fund can be given to the legislators considering the financial situation of the state. “You have provided money to 543 Mahila Mandals from the MLA area development fund despite the limit of 10% . You should have given this money for completion of development works,” the CM said.
He added that two instalments of the MLA LAD fund was released before July 5, 2025.
Rana said that if MLAs do not have any powers or grant money to help people, there is no point in being an elected representatives. “Should I not resign if I cannot help the people who have elected me and have expectations from their MLA?” he asked.
Sukhu said the 2025-26 Budget duration is still March 31, 2026, and his government would contemplate how to provide MLA Fund to the legislators.
Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said if the CM can disburse ₹2 crore to Mahila Mandals, why impose a bar on MLAs.
