The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of the government of India has said that it has recorded irregularities in the Rs. 52,000 crore farm debt waiver scheme.

The government auditor said on Tuesday that several ineligible farmers were given benefit under the scheme while other eligible farmers were excluded unfairly. CAG officials also found evidence that the records were tampered with illegitimately. CAG also criticised the department of financial services (DFS) in the finance ministry for not ensuring proper monitoring of the scheme.

The latest report tabled in Parliament on Tuesday said, "Overall, the performance audit revealed that in, there were lapses/errors which raised serious concern about the implementation of the scheme."

The report is related to Agricultural Debt Waiver and Debt Relief Scheme (ADWDRS) 2008. The government had announced ADWDRS in 2008 to offer debt relief of upto Rs 52,516 crore to 3.69 crore small and marginal farmers and 60 lakh other farmers. The report said that several farmers who had taken loans for non-agricultural purposes and whose loans did not meet the criteria for the scheme, received benefits under the scheme.

It was also found that the micro finance institutions (MFIs) were given benefit under the scheme, which is a violation of the guidelines included in the scheme.