3 weeks ago
Horticulture Board Freezes Subsidy Applications After Rs 99 Lakh Row
The National Horticulture Board gives financial help for some farming and cold-storage projects.
It has stopped accepting new applications for two programs for one month.
The pause began on September 4, 2026.
The board said it needs time to check older cases and update its online system.
The decision came after a report about subsidies received by a minister and relatives of a senior government official.
The minister returned Rs 99 lakh.
The government then changed the rules about who counts as a family member and who can receive assistance.
Applications submitted before the pause will still be processed under the new rules.
The National Horticulture Board suspended fresh Grant of Clearance applications under two schemes for one month from September 4, 2026.
The suspension covers commercial horticulture development and cold-storage construction, expansion and modernization schemes.
The move follows a report that Minister of State Bhagirath Choudhary and relatives of IAS officer Naresh Pal Gangwar received subsidies.
Choudhary returned Rs 99 lakh after the report, and the government revised the relevant scheme guidelines effective August 21.
Existing applications will continue under the revised guidelines, while the resumption date for new applications will be announced later.
- Who
- The National Horticulture Board, Bhagirath Choudhary, and relatives of IAS officer Naresh Pal Gangwar are central to the report.
- What
- The board temporarily stopped accepting fresh Grant of Clearance applications under two subsidy schemes.
- Where
- The applications concern National Horticulture Board schemes in India.
- When
- The suspension began September 4, 2026, and is scheduled to last one month; the exact resumption date was not given.
- Why
- The board cited implementation of revised guidelines, verification of pending cases, and updating its online application system.
Key facts
- Suspension period
- One month from September 4, 2026
- Affected schemes
- Commercial horticulture development and cold-storage construction, expansion and modernization
- Required approval
- Grant of Clearance is mandatory for the credit-linked back-ended subsidy
- Maximum subsidy
- Up to 50% of project cost, capped at Rs 1 crore per family
- Returned amount
- Bhagirath Choudhary returned Rs 99 lakh to the National Horticulture Board
- Guideline revision
- The relevant scheme guidelines were revised effective August 21
- Existing applications
- Applications submitted before the pause will continue under the revised guidelines
Quotes
National Horticulture Board
Autonomous body under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare
“This temporary suspension shall apply only to the submission of fresh GoC applications. The cases already submitted to NHB prior to the commencement of the temporary suspension shall continue to be dealt with in accordance with the applicable provisions of the revised scheme guidelines and other instructions issued by NHB from time to time.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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