Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswamy has said the state government is taking stern action against those responsible for the multi-crore rupees scam in the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme.<br />'' <br />''Talking to reporters in Tiruvannamalai, he said the scam has been reported in thirteen districts in the state.<br />'' <br />''He said the CB-CID police are investigating the case, adding, the funds misappropriated in several cases are being recovered.<br />'' <br />''He said the enlisting of five lakh people as beneficiaries in the scheme in just four months raised suspicion, leading to the investigation by the state agriculture department.<br />'' <br />''18 people have been arrested in the case so far and 81 contractual staff of the department have been terminated from work. He said departmental action is being initiated against 34 officials.<br />'' <br />''The BJP, which is the alliance partner of the ruling AIADMK in the state and the principal opposition DMK have charged that lakhs of ineligible people are being enlisted as the beneficiaries of the scheme misappropriating hundreds of crores of rupees.<br />