23 RBK assistants suspended

KAKINADA: West Godavari district collector P. Prashanti suspended assistants of 23 Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) on charges of registering e-crops that had not been cultivated at all.

It is stated many assistants had registered in the e-crop portal that paddy had been cultivated at various farm sites. However, on check, it was found that some of these locations had already been turned into aqua ponds. The collector thus issued show-cause notices to 84 RBK assistants and suspended 23 of them.

West Godavari district agriculture officer Venkateswara Rao told Deccan Chronicle that any e-crop in any field has to be first inspected physically and only then registered on the website. Otherwise, stringent action can be taken against them.