Serious financial irregularities amounting to nearly Rs 500 crore have allegedly occurred in regulated agricultural markets across Tamil Nadu, as claimed by Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) leader Anbumani Ramadoss. Anbumani Ramadoss has urged the State government to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the operations of market committees overseeing these trading centers.
Anbumani Ramadoss highlighted that regulated markets were established to ensure fair prices for farmers’ produce through transparent auctions. Currently, Tamil Nadu has 27 market committees managing around 284 regulated markets that play a crucial role in trading agricultural commodities.
Allegedly, officials have not upheld the system’s purpose of safeguarding farmers’ interests and have engaged in questionable practices related to works and fund utilization in various market yards. Infrastructure and maintenance works were reportedly divided into smaller contracts to evade higher-level scrutiny, according to the allegations.
Citing information obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act, Anbumani Ramadoss pointed out discrepancies in Coimbatore district, where market committees showed significant revenue but most expenditures were on works valued below Rs 5 lakh each. Farmers and local organizations have raised concerns about incomplete or non-existent works documented in official records.
Anbumani Ramadoss claimed that similar irregularities exist in regulated markets statewide, estimating a total misappropriation of funds around Rs 500 crore over the past four years. He has called for a thorough investigation into all 27 market committees in Tamil Nadu, emphasizing the need for strict administrative and legal actions if the allegations are substantiated.
