Unraveling the Organic Cotton Scam in Madhya Pradesh
The Congress is calling for a court-monitored CBI inquiry into a scam allegedly involving the sale of non-organic cotton as organic in Madhya Pradesh. The mishandling might have tarnished India's reputation in the organic market. The scam allegedly involves massive financial fraud and GST evasion, damaging India's global credibility.
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The Congress party escalated demands for a court-supervised CBI probe into a massive scam involving the sale of conventional cotton under the guise of organic cotton in Madhya Pradesh. Former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh claimed the fraud could reach up to Rs 2.1 lakh crore, casting a shadow on India's credibility in organic product certification.
Singh highlighted that the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), initiated by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in 2001, is meant to regulate and certify organic exports. He alleged that fraudulent practices within Internal Control Systems (ICSs) allowed non-organic cotton to masquerade as organic, significantly impacting genuine farmers' incomes.
The international fallout has been severe; Singh revealed that key global agencies have revoked their recognition of Indian certifiers. Parliamentary intervention in the form of a Special Investigation Team under a sitting High Court judge is now demanded, alongside fair compensation for farmers duped by the scheme.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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