Published: 29th August 2016 05:26 AM
Last Updated: 29th August 2016 06:50 AM
JEYPORE: Farmers’ registration for the ensuing kharif procurement has slowed down in Koraput district as the cooperative societies are demanding Aadhaar card for the registration process.
Sources said most of the farmers in the district are yet to receive their biometric cards. As per the direction of the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare department, the cooperative societies started farmers’ registration for ensuing kharif season a month ago. The first phase of registration was completed on Saturday. About 5,000 farmers have registered their names for the kharif procurement while others failed to register due to non-availability of Aadhaar cards, which is mandatory for farmer registration.
Farmers alleged that though they had supplied all biometric details to the agency concerned for Aadhaar registration at the village, they are yet to receive their cards. They demanded that the district administration should first ensure Aadhaar cards to them and extend the farmers’ registration process till next month. Expressing concern over the issue, branch manager of Koraput Central Cooperative Bank and in-charge for paddy procurement Arun Dash said the administration is planning to extend the deadline for farmer registration.
Around 18,000 farmers have cultivated paddy in over 45,000 hectares (ha) of land in Jeypore, Kotpad, Borrigumma, Kundra and Boipariguda blocks in the kharif season. In the last kharif season, about 15,140 farmers had registered their names for paddy procurement.