Chennai, March 7 (NationPress) Allegations have surfaced regarding significant financial misconduct totaling nearly Rs 500 crore in regulated agricultural markets throughout Tamil Nadu over recent years, as claimed by Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) leader Anbumani Ramadoss.

On Saturday, the PMK leader called for a thorough investigation by the State government into the operations of market committees that manage these trading hubs.

In his statement, Anbumani Ramadoss emphasized that regulated markets were established to guarantee that farmers receive equitable prices for their produce via a transparent auction system. He pointed out that the State currently has 27 market committees overseeing approximately 284 regulated markets, which function as vital trading venues for agricultural goods.

He accused officials of engaging in dubious practices instead of fortifying the system designed to safeguard farmers’ interests, particularly in the execution of projects and fund utilization across various market yards.

According to Ramadoss, infrastructure and maintenance projects were allegedly divided into numerous smaller contracts to evade higher scrutiny.

The PMK leader asserted that officials exploited a 2018 government order permitting market committees to undertake projects costing up to Rs 5 lakh without prior sanction from senior authorities. By splitting larger projects into smaller tasks within this financial threshold, approvals and audits were reportedly circumvented.

This strategy was allegedly employed to account for expenditure on tasks such as compound wall construction, painting, flooring repairs, and electrical installations across several market yards.

Using information obtained via the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the PMK leader highlighted the situation in Coimbatore district. The data revealed that market committees in the district generated revenues exceeding Rs 80 crore between 2021 and 2025. Of this, Rs 76.47 crore was recorded as expenditure, predominantly through works valued at under Rs 5 lakh each.

Farmers and local entities, he claimed, have alleged that many of the recorded works either were not completed or were only partially fulfilled.

Anbumani Ramadoss further alleged that such practices were widespread in regulated markets throughout Tamil Nadu, with farmers’ organizations estimating the total funds misappropriated to be around Rs 500 crore over the past four years.

The PMK leader urged the State government to promptly initiate an extensive investigation into the activities of all 27 market committees in Tamil Nadu, insisting that stringent administrative and legal measures should be taken against those found culpable if the allegations of financial misconduct are validated.