The distribution of input assistance of ₹4,000 per acre to farmers, first of its kind scheme in the country, is going to be a mind boggling exercise given the magnitude of logistics and preparedness of the banks and administration that should be marshalled.
While keeping about ₹6,000 crore cash required for the scheme in the banks, overcoming the prevailing currency shortage is one aspect, the greater challenge is delivering ₹4,000 per acre to farmers in the form of cheques that will be distributed from May 15th onwards.
There are about 72 lakh farmers with 1.42 lakh acres of agricultural land who need to be given cheques and printing of individualised cheques in their name itself will take about three months. Then comes the process of bundling these cheques, village-wise and handing them to Agriculture and Revenue Department officers of 31 districts here for distribution. They take them to the respective districts for village-wise distribution.
“It is a massive exercise no doubt but we are excited in taking up this challenge,” Finance Department officials said.
The SBI prints about two lakh cheques per day normally and farmers’ cheques will be an additional requirement. Government proposed to give the data base of farmers to the SBI by February to print these individualised cheques.
All that the farmer has to do is to encash the cheque in any bank, not necessarily SBI, by showing an identity proof. But to ensure there is no misappropriation and the amount reaches the farmer and for proper monitoring, the Finance Department is exploring ways to give unique identify to each farmer.
Aadhaar is an unique number but the Supreme Court guidelines are clear that only last four digits can be printed to protect the privacy of the individual. “Thus we are planning a separate unique number for the purpose by including the farmer’s Khata number, village code, mandal, revenue division and district code. This will make it easy for monitoring how many farmers availed the input assistance,” sources said. The easier option would have been to transfer the amount to bank accounts of farmers but then banks may adjust the amount towards old dues from farmers as happened in loan waiver scheme. “It will defeat the purpose of the scheme to give cash to farmers to buy inputs for the kharif season,” they said.
There are also other banking stipulations to be taken care of. Any amount of ₹50,000 and above has to be transferred into the bank account of the individual. A farmer with 12.5 acres will get assistance of ₹50,000 but a cheque will have to be given only for ₹49,999 to meet the stipulation. For this data of such farmers has to be culled out and given to the banks.
The bankers believed to have represented to the Finance Department to deposit ₹6,000 crore by May 15 for smooth disbursal when farmers would present the cheques. But government thinks as all farmers may not draw the amount at one go, amount can be deposited in phases.
