Madhya Pradesh farmer declared ‘poorest man in India’ after clerical error lists annual income as Rs 3

Satna:

A bizarre clerical error turned a Madhya Pradesh farmer into an overnight internet sensation after his official income certificate claimed his annual earnings were just Rs 3- equating to merely 25 paise per month. The document, issued to 45-year-old Ramswaroop from Nayagaon village in Satna district’s Kothi tehsil, quickly went viral, drawing nationwide attention and ridicule.

The certificate, dated July 22 and signed by Tehsildar Saurabh Dwivedi, began circulating widely on social media, with users dubbing Ramswaroop the “poorest man in India.”

Authorities correct mistake, Congress slams government

As the post gained traction, local authorities were quick to clarify the situation. Tehsildar Saurabh Dwivedi admitted the error, attributing it to a clerical mistake. By July 25, a revised certificate was issued, listing the farmer’s actual annual income as Rs 30,000, or Rs 2,500 per month.

“It was a clerical error, which has now been rectified,” said Dwivedi in an official statement.

The Madhya Pradesh Congress seized on the incident to attack the ruling BJP government. Sharing the erroneous certificate on social media platform X, the party mocked the administration, “In CM Mohan Yadav’s rule, we found India’s poorest man! Annual income: just Rs 3!” The party further alleged corruption, saying, “Isn’t it shocking? A mission to make people poor? Because now the chair itself eats the commission.”

The incident has reignited debate over the accuracy of government documentation and raised questions about bureaucratic oversight in welfare-related records.