The Centre on Tuesday informed the Lok Sabha that Union Minister of State for Agriculture Bhagirath Choudhary and BJP MP Lumba Ram had received financial assistance under schemes of the National Horticulture Board (NHB) during the last five years. The government said Choudhary, who is also the Member of Parliament from Ajmer, Rajasthan, later refunded the subsidy amount received under the scheme. Lumba Ram, the MP from Sirohi, Rajasthan, was listed as another beneficiary who received financial assistance in 2025.
In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Agriculture Ramnath Thakur said NHB schemes provide financial assistance through credit-linked back-ended capital investment subsidies. The support is aimed at eligible farmers and entrepreneurs involved in commercial horticulture, protected cultivation, post-harvest management, and cold chain infrastructure development. The minister shared details of serving Union Ministers, MPs, and their immediate family members who had received assistance under NHB schemes during the past five years.
According to the details provided by the government, Bhagirath Choudhary received financial assistance in 2026, while Lumba Ram received assistance in 2025. Thakur informed the House that Choudhary had communicated his decision to return the subsidy to the concerned bank. The bank has now been directed to transfer the refunded subsidy amount back to the National Horticulture Board as per the scheme provisions.
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The minister was responding to a query raised by Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee, who sought details on whether serving ministers, MPs, or their immediate family members had benefited from NHB subsidies. Thakur clarified that the existing NHB guidelines do not have any specific provisions related to conflict of interest or mandatory recusal for applications submitted by public representatives or their family members.
Thakur further explained that NHB schemes are open to all eligible applicants, including individuals, partnerships, companies, cooperatives, and other recognised legal entities, provided they meet the prescribed eligibility requirements. Applicants must either own the project land or hold it on lease for a minimum period of 10 years, with the details recorded in official revenue documents.
The minister added that applications under NHB schemes are processed through a multi-level transparent mechanism. The process begins with the financing bank approving the term loan and assessing the project, after which the NHB examines the application through the Project Examination Committee (PEC). Only after scrutiny and approval is the Grant of Clearance (GoC) issued, ensuring that financial assistance is provided according to established guidelines.
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