Oil Palm Mission in Manipur mired in financial irregularities and misreporting

Serious irregularities have surfaced in the implementation of the Oil Palm plantation project in Manipur under the National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP), raising questions of large-scale financial misappropriation within the state’s Agriculture Department.
According to highly placed sources, the Oil Palm Mission Manipur has released a total of Rs.430.32 lakh for the plantations of oil palm over 563.65 hectares across various districts, though the target for the state stands at 5,288 hectares. Financial assistance to beneficiary farmers for planting materials and transportation under the scheme amounts to Rs.1,533.52 lakh — with 90% funding from the Government of India and 10% from the State Government.
However, official records and ground realities tell two different stories. Documents accessed by Imphal Times show that Patanjali Foods Ltd, the State’s project partner responsible for supplying planting materials and providing technical support, has reported plantation over only 267.91 hectares — less than half of what the Nodal Officer (NMEO-OP) has officially recorded as 563.65 hectares.
Despite this glaring discrepancy, the Oil Palm Mission Manipur reportedly released Rs.266.87 lakh in cash, in addition to the planting materials, to beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)/Public Financial Management System (PFMS). Shockingly, these payments were allegedly made without obtaining administrative approval from the competent authority, potentially amounting to crores of rupees disbursed in violation of financial norms.

A cross-verification by Imphal Times further reveals that payments were made without any technical feasibility reports or the recommendation of the respective District Agriculture Officers (DAOs). As a result, numerous farmers, particularly in the hill districts of Ukhrul and Kamjong, reportedly failed to undertake plantation despite receiving subsidies.
Adding to the concerns, unconfirmed reports suggest that a huge sum is being processed for release as subsidies for the creation of water harvesting structures in hill districts — a move viewed by insiders as an attempt to divert funds under the guise of infrastructure support.
Meanwhile, the department appears indifferent toward the release of subsidies meant for intercropping and backyard farming, even for those farmers who had completed their plantations one to two months ago. As the crucial period for intercropping passes, beneficiaries who genuinely implemented the scheme risk losing their additional livelihood support.
District-wise data obtained by Imphal Times show that plantations have been reported over 45.50 hectares in Thoubal, 33.50 hectares in Imphal East, 29.50 hectares in Kakching, 71.08 hectares in Ukhrul, 35.24 hectares in Kamjong, 22.20 hectares in Chandel, 24.5 hector in Jiribam and 30.89 hectares in Tengnoupal.
Each hectare of plantation accommodates 143 oil palm saplings, and the subsidy for planting material per hectare is Rs.29,000 — which is the only upfront subsidy released by the implementing department under the Ministry of Agriculture. All other subsidies are meant to follow only after completion and verification of plantation activities.
The unfolding inconsistencies — from inflated plantation figures and premature fund disbursal to non-existent oversight — suggest that the Oil Palm Mission Manipur may have become a conduit for fund misappropriation rather than a boost for farmers’ livelihoods.
As evidence mounts, questions are being raised about the lack of accountability, absence of administrative approval, and the possible manipulation of plantation data to justify large financial releases. A thorough independent audit and official probe into the functioning of the Oil Palm Mission Manipur now appear imperative to prevent further financial leakage and to ensure that public funds serve their intended purpose — supporting real farmers, not phantom plantations.