PUNJAB GOVT TO PAY BONUS ON PADDY DIRECTLY TO FARMERS
Chandigarh October 23:
Punjab Government has decided to pay Rs 50 per quintal bonus on paddy directly to the farmers which is considered as the first step towards making full payment of crop to the farmers directly into their accounts. The Government would also introduce crop insurance for marginal farmers from Rabi season.
Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, Minister for food and supply said that this was for the first time that bonus would be paid directly to the farmers based on the records obtained from mandis. The Minister said that database of paddy sold by farmers was being computerised every day. He said that even the Government has proposed to issue J form to the farmers online. He said that this was major step towards e-governance in agriculture which is based on Singapore model.
He further said that from the Rabi season (wheat season) beginning in November 2008, the department of food and supply would introduce crop insurance for the marginal farmers in the State. He said that funds for the purpose have been mobilised through internal resources. He said that department has raised Rs 80 crores from the security deposit taken by sheller owners who wanted excess alloction of paddy. The department would pay the insurance premium out of these funds. He said that this system would also wipe out the corruption in the system.
He said that he had taken up with Central Government to allow them to send the grains directly to consumer States instead of routing it through Food Corporation of India. He said that FCI was not lifting stocks which proving costly to the State. He said that presently about 72,000 lakh tonnes of paddy and wheat was stored in Punjab and 40 percent of it is lying in open storage. He said that he had taken up the case to make a storage policy.
Chandigarh October 23:
Punjab Government has decided to pay Rs 50 per quintal bonus on paddy directly to the farmers which is considered as the first step towards making full payment of crop to the farmers directly into their accounts. The Government would also introduce crop insurance for marginal farmers from Rabi season.
Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, Minister for food and supply said that this was for the first time that bonus would be paid directly to the farmers based on the records obtained from mandis. The Minister said that database of paddy sold by farmers was being computerised every day. He said that even the Government has proposed to issue J form to the farmers online. He said that this was major step towards e-governance in agriculture which is based on Singapore model.
He further said that from the Rabi season (wheat season) beginning in November 2008, the department of food and supply would introduce crop insurance for the marginal farmers in the State. He said that funds for the purpose have been mobilised through internal resources. He said that department has raised Rs 80 crores from the security deposit taken by sheller owners who wanted excess alloction of paddy. The department would pay the insurance premium out of these funds. He said that this system would also wipe out the corruption in the system.
He said that he had taken up with Central Government to allow them to send the grains directly to consumer States instead of routing it through Food Corporation of India. He said that FCI was not lifting stocks which proving costly to the State. He said that presently about 72,000 lakh tonnes of paddy and wheat was stored in Punjab and 40 percent of it is lying in open storage. He said that he had taken up the case to make a storage policy.
