Online payment to farmers opposed, stand-off looms

Nitish Sharma
Tribune News Service
Ambala, March 22

A standoff may arise between commission agents and the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board over the online filing of forms during the upcoming wheat procurement season.

The board has decided to get online forms filled from commission agents. Under this process, market committees will provide a username and password for the e-Kharid portal to commission agents, and also provide training to them. The agents will enter their details and search their registered farmers using any option among registration number, Aadhaar number or mobile number.

The registration numbers have been sent to farmers on their mobile numbers under the Meri Fasal Mera Byora scheme. At the end of the form, the commission agents have to select ‘yes’ or ‘no’ under the “direct payment to farmer’s account” option. If the commission agents choose ‘no’, another box will appear in which the agents have to explain why they don’t want farmers to get paid directly.

Krishan Kumar Malik, secretary, New Grain Market, Ambala Cantonment, said, “Following the directions of the Chief Marketing Enforcement Officer, training has been provided to the commission agents. The registration numbers of farmers have already been sent under the Meri Fasal Mera Byora scheme.”

A commission agent said a large number of farmers were not registered on the portal of the board and asked how the agents would do the procurement in such a case. Besides, they had to purchase computers and hire a person for this work which would increase the financial burden, he said.

Duni Chand, patron, Haryana State Arhtiya Association, said: “The agents don’t have computers and Internet facility. Moreover, the accountants working with the agents are also not computer savvy. I have received a call from the agents of Karnal in this regard and I have asked them not to adopt the new system.”