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Farmers to submit land details with revenue dept from Aug 1
From August 1, the Punjab revenue department will start receiving from the state farmers the details of their farmland as per Centre’s mandate to integrate the land records with food grain procurement
From August 1, the Punjab revenue department will start receiving from the state farmers the details of their farmland as per Centre’s mandate to integrate the land records with food grain procurement.
The Centre has already made it clear that there will be no further postponement and “it has to be done from the upcoming paddy procurement scheduled in October-November”.
The Union ministry of food and public distribution had last year asked the state to implement the new system, however, the Capt Amarinder Singh government was apprehensive that it will put a full stop on the open-ended procurement system. The state was allowed an extension during the previous rabi season, but now the state’s top officials say the Centre has made it clear that the new system has to be in place for the kharif season since in its absence, there will be no procurement.
The decision was taken on Tuesday in a meeting of top officials of revenue, food and civil supplies, governance reforms and agriculture departments and the chief minister’s office (CMO). “We will draw out a plan for a publicity campaign, inviting farmers to make voluntary declarations. The government is also finalising a detailed concept plan,” said financial commissioner (revenue) Ravneet Kaur.
It was also decided in the meeting that farmers can submit land details at the 175 farad kendras of the revenue department and 500 sewa kendras of the governance reforms department across the state. The details will be accepted by the end of September as the paddy procurement is scheduled to start from October 1.
After compiling the information collected at the farad and sewa kendras, it will be linked with the public finance management system portal used for payment of minimum support price (MSP) to the farmers.
“The farmers will give information about the land they own or the land they are tilling or both; area over which paddy is sown and if they are tenants or have taken land on lease, along with the details of the landowner,” added a top revenue officer.
At least 30-lakh hectare area is expected to go under paddy cultivation this kharif season out of which 5 lakh hectares is expected to be under premium basmati crop.
At least 9.53 lakh farmers were transferred MSP by way of new direct benefit transfer (DBT) in the rabi season. The number, however, is expected to go up during the paddy procurement as more farmers sell their produce to government agencies, unlike wheat, which private companies also purchase.
The Centre has not yet released the rural development fund (RDF) to Punjab for wheat procurement that ended in May, setting the condition to first integrate land records. The state charges 3% RDF on wheat and paddy procured on behalf of the Centre. With ₹25,500 crore disbursed to farmers for wheat procurement at MSP this season, the Centre owes Punjab ₹760 crore in RDF.
