Lok Sabha Question No. 3389 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-08-07
Subject: Kisan Call Centre
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Kunhalikutty, P.K., JYOTIRADITYA MADHAVRAO SCINDIA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3389

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 7 TH   AUGUST, 2018

## KISAN CALL CENTRE

3389.   SHRI P.K. KUNHALIKUTTY: SHRI JYOTIRADITYA M. SCINDIA:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ षि एवं ककसान कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware that an agency in the name of 'Kisan Seva Kendra' having Government of India logo has been allegedly running the Kisan Call Centres scheme illegally and duping job seekers and gullible unemployed youth by asking them to deposit huge sums of money for application form and registration fee;
- (b) if so, the details of the modusoperandi of the said scheme; and
- (c) the corrective action taken by the Government in this regard and the steps taken by the Government to apprehend the fraudsters involved and to ensure that there is not any misuse of the Government schemes?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ षि एवं ककसान कल्याण मंत्रालय में राज्य मंत्री (SHRI  PARSHOTTAM  RUPALA)

- (a) & (b): Complaints have been received that a agency named 'Kisan Seva Kendra'' has allegedly duped job seekers in the name of Kisan Call Centre Scheme.

As reported by complainants, modus  operandi  of the said  agency is to issue advertisements having strong resemblance with the Government of India Scheme 'Kisan Call Centre'.  Fake  website  addresses  with  Govt  logos  are  given  to  lend  credence  to  such  bogus advertisements. The gullible youth are asked to contact on a given telephone number and a telephonic  interview  is  then  carried  out.  Thereafter,  the  candidate  is  declared  selected  and he/she is asked to deposit a security amount in a given Bank Account Number. A fake offer letter is also issued simultaneously.

- (c): Government has requested Chief Secretary and Police authorities for investigating the matter  in  their  respective  States  and  taking  stringent  action  against  the  fraudsters.  The complainants have also been advised to file FIR with local authorities. An alert has also been uploaded on Department's website as a caution to the general public.

The Government has also taken following other actions -

(i) Agriculture Production Commissioners /Principal Secretary (Agriculture)/Secretary (Agriculture)  /  Director  (Agriculture)  of  all  States  have  been  requested  to  create  requisite awareness amongst general public and likely candidates of their States about such fraudulent advertisements and to take stern action against such fraudulent agencies.

(ii) Advertisements have been issued in the leading and local newspapers from time to time in  different  parts  of  the  country  to  alert  people  not  to  pay  any  security  money  against  such fraudulent advertisements and jobs offered by fake agencies.

(iii) Scrolling message was also issued on Doordarshan alerting general public against such misleading advertisements on employment in Kisan Call Centre or related organizations.

(iv) All  Kisan  Call  Centers  under  the  Government  of  India  Scheme  have  been  advised  to guide and alert the public who call on the toll free number 1800-180-1551 seeking clarification on any such fraudulent advertisements.

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