KARNAL: It has been 28 days since the start of paddy procurement and more than 50% paddy has already been procured, but many farmers are claiming that they have not yet been paid for their crop, because of which they are falling short of money to celebrate in the festive season and sow the next crop.
Officials say they have cleared payments for paddy purchases up to October 13 to those whose form-I had been approved. But, farmers and commission agents alleged that they have not even received the payment for paddy procured in September.
Data shows that till October 23, government agencies procured around 36 lakh metric tonnes (MT) paddy in the state, including a total of 9,98,286 metric tonne (MT) in Karnal district.
In Karnal, there was a technical problem with disbursement as several arhtiyas and farmers in Taraori mandi alleged that their payments were deposited in other accounts.
A mandi official said another reason for the delay in payment was that farmers themselves had opted for direct payment option, which increased the number of beneficiaries as 20-25 farmers were associated with one arhtiya earlier.
Jagdeep Kumar, a farmer of Assandh block, said, “I sold my produce to the government on September 28, but I have not got payment of Rs 1.9 lakh so far. I need the fund for sowing wheat and festival season.”
Rajneesh Choudhary, president of Karnal Arhtiyas Association, said he had not received a single penny so far. “Only some arhtiyas and farmers got their payment. Government agencies have released a meagre amount against the 9 lakh MT procured paddy from Karnal. Farmers are making our rounds, but we are unable to pay them as this is a huge amount.”
Chander Shekhar Khare, director of food, civil supplies and consumer affairs in Haryana, said, “So far, we have cleared dues of more than Rs 2,000 crore, including 1,028 crore of DFSC till October 13 against Form I.”
He clarified that farmers who were yet to receive their payments were mainly those whose produce was procured offline at the beginning of procurement. The department is making a provision to upload it on the portal, so that they can get their payment at the earliest, he said.
“The matter of Taraori mandi came into my notice and it is being investigated,” Khare added.