Junior Agriculture Minister Returned Farm Subsidy After Row, Centre Informs Parliament
The Centre has informed Parliament that Union Minister of State for Agriculture Bhagirath Choudhary refunded a government subsidy he had received under a National Horticulture Board (NHB) scheme for his cucumber farm. The disclosure came in a written reply in the Lok Sabha, with the government stating that the subsidy amount has been returned to the concerned bank, which has been directed to remit it back to the NHB.
The issue had drawn attention after reports revealed that Choudhary had received a subsidy of around ₹99 lakh under an NHB horticulture scheme administered by the Ministry of Agriculture, where he serves as a junior minister. Although the scheme is open to all eligible applicants, the case sparked questions over the propriety of a serving minister benefiting from a programme overseen by his own ministry.
Responding to a question by Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, Minister of State for Agriculture Ramnath Thakur told the Lok Sabha that Choudhary had voluntarily communicated his decision to refund the subsidy. The government added that the concerned bank had been instructed to return the refunded amount to the National Horticulture Board.
The parliamentary reply also disclosed that BJP MP Lumba Ram from Rajasthan had received financial assistance under NHB schemes in 2025. According to the government, both beneficiaries had received assistance under the Board’s credit-linked, back-ended capital investment subsidy programme, which supports commercial horticulture, protected cultivation, post-harvest management and cold-chain infrastructure.
The Centre clarified that the existing NHB scheme guidelines do not contain any specific conflict-of-interest or recusal provisions for serving Union ministers, Members of Parliament or their immediate family members. Officials emphasised that the schemes are open to all eligible farmers, entrepreneurs, companies, cooperatives and other entities, provided they satisfy the prescribed conditions, and that applications are processed through a multi-tier scrutiny mechanism.
The disclosure has renewed debate over ethical standards for public office holders, with opposition parties arguing that ministers should avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest when government benefits are involved. While the government has maintained that the subsidy was granted under existing rules and that no eligibility norms were violated, Choudhary’s decision to return the money has brought the controversy to a close for now.
