Bhagirath Choudhary’s ₹99 Lakh Subsidy Draws Questions Over NHB Role

Senior BJP leader and Union Minister of State for Agriculture Bhagirath Choudhary has come under scrutiny after official records showed he received a government subsidy under a scheme administered by an organisation linked to his Ministry, days after a similar controversy involving Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.

Choudhary received ₹99.03 lakh under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) through the National Horticulture Board (NHB) for a cucumber cultivation project at Peeh village in Rajasthan’s Didwana-Kuchaman district.

HDFC Bank financed the project with a loan of ₹1.49 crore, while the total project cost stood at ₹1.99 crore.

Under the MIDH scheme, beneficiaries are eligible for a subsidy of up to 50% of the project cost, capped at ₹1 crore.

The loan account received the subsidy directly on March 30, 2026.

Records show Bhagirath Choudhary applied for the subsidy on April 15, 2025, received in-principle approval on April 29, 2025, and the project secured final approval on March 11, 2026.

The development has attracted attention because Bhagirath Choudhary, who has served as Union Minister of State for Agriculture since 2024, is the ex officio Vice-President of the NHB.

Critics have questioned whether a serving Minister should benefit from a scheme overseen by a board linked to his Ministry, even if the approval followed existing rules.

Bhagirath Choudhary has maintained that the subsidy qualified under the scheme’s guidelines and that he had no role in its approval.

Officials have also stated that while the Minister serves as the NHB’s ex officio Vice-President, the final sanction is issued by the designated approval committee, of which he is not a member. No official finding has indicated any violation of rules or laws.

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