MEENA'S CRUSADE

Combative agriculture minister Kirodi Lal Meena has unearthed a major farm inputs scam, leaving many jittery

- By Rohit Parihar

Rajasthan agriculture minister Kirodi Lal Meena is on a mission. Since the unearthing of a massive adulteration scam at a fertiliser factory in Ajmer in May (a week after it was given a clean chit by officials), the minister has been personally leading surprise inspections at factories and retail outlets across the state. What he has found stunned even seasoned bureaucrats and agriculture experts: of the 57 samples tested in his presence, 56 failed. The department has now sent 4,772 fertiliser, 4,301 seed, and 283 pesticide samples for testing. The crackdown has led to 28 FIRs and the sealing of 36 locations. "Some of our officials were failing in their duties," Meena