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‘Poorest man in India’: How MP farmer landed up with annual income of ₹3

A document issued on July 22 said that that annual income of the farmer has been declared as 3, which is 25 paise per month.

Published on: Jul 27, 2025, 15:27:04 IST
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Annual income of a Madhya Pradesh farmer turned into 3 after a ‘clerical error’ in the income certificate, prompting the internet to dub him as the ‘poorest man in India.’ As the certificate went viral, authorities quickly scrambled to clarify that it was a “clerical error,” and went on to issue a new certificate, increasing the original income.

By July 25, a new certificate was issued, reporting that the farmer’s annual income is  ₹30,000, which is  ₹2,500 per month. (Unsplash/Representational Image)
By July 25, a new certificate was issued, reporting that the farmer’s annual income is ₹30,000, which is ₹2,500 per month. (Unsplash/Representational Image)

The incident occurred in Madhya Pradesh' Satna district, where an income certificate was issued to a farmer named Ramswaroop, 45, who is a resident of Nayagaon village under Kothi tehsil, reported PTI news agency.

The document was issued with the signature of the tehsildar, Saurabh Dwivedi.

Image of Income certificate that went viral
Image of Income certificate that went viral

The document issued on July 22 said that Ramswaroop’s annual income has been declared as 3, which is 25 paise per month. A picture of the document surfaced, showing the complete signature on the income proof document, prompting netizens to call Ramswaroop the ‘poorest man in the country.’

As the pictures of the document went viral, officials came into action and by July 25, a new certificate was issued, reporting that the farmer’s annual income is 30,000, which is 2,500 per month.

Saurabh Dwivedi, the tehsildar who signed the document, also clarified that, “it was a clerical error, which has been corrected”, according to the PTI report. He also stated that a new income certificate has been issued.

Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh Congress took to social media to slam the government for creating such a blunder. They shared a post along with the photo of the original certificate, saying that the government is on a mission to make people poor.

"In MP Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's rule, we discovered India's poorest man! Annual income: just 3!" the party claimed in its post.

"Isn't it shocking? A mission to make people poor? Because now the chair itself eats the commission," it alleged.

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