Mah govt orders probe into bouncing of PM package cheque

Nagpur, Jul 7 (UNI) The Maharashtra Government has ordered an enquiry into the bouncing of a cheque under the Prime Minister's relief package for farmers in Vidarbha region, issued to the widow of a debt-ridden farmer who committed suicide in Yavatmal district.

Vidyadhar Kanade, Principal Secretary in the Department of Finance, has been asked to visit Yavatmal to conduct an in-depth enquiry into the matter, according to an official release here.

It appeared prima facie that the cheque was inadvertently drawn on an account in which there were no funds, the release said.

The State government had taken serious note of the matter and issued instructions to all district collectors to ensure that it did not happen again, it said.

Arrangements had been made to issue a fresh cheque, drawn on a different account, to Vandana Anil Shende, the widow, the release added.

Activists had claimed yesterday that the cheque issued to Vandana had bounced. The cheque for Rs 10,000, drawn by the Yavatmal District Collector on State Bank of India, was issued to Vandana in February last. The Yavatmal District Central cooperative Bank Ltd, through which Vandana had sent the cheque for collection, informed her late last month that the issuing bank had returned the cheque for want of funds, the activists said. Vandana is the widow of Anil Shende, who ended his life at his house in village Bhadumari in Kelapur tehsil of the district in August 23 last year.

UNI