Formation of Farmers’ Associations : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

Formation of Farmers’ Associations

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

(8-07-2017)

Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar has issued instructions to the officials concerned to initiate steps for forming the Farmers’ Associations from village level to the state level. He said that these associations will monitor right from maintenance of the land records in a transparent way to payment of Rs 8000 per acre towards input subsidy to the farmers. The CM held a high-level review meeting on these issues. The guide lines for forming the Farmers’ Associations have also been finalized in the meeting. They are drafted in such a way that the farmers will have no need to approach anyone or pay any bribe for getting Rs 8000 input subsidy or for the maintenance of land records. It is decided to have a special drive on the survey of land records in a transparent way. In the process, it is envisaged to have an awareness conference in Hyderabad on these issues. The Guidelines are:

One Farmers’ Association will be formed for every Revenue Village. Since the Agricultural officers have already completed the comprehensive farmers’ survey in the villages, every farmer who owns land as per records shall be enrolled as member of the Association. The government will form a Farmers Coordination Committee with 11 Members representing the farmers’ association from out of these land owners.

SC/ST/BC/Minority and Women will have representation in the coordination Committee. Farmers who have land and engaged in agriculture will only be drafted in the coordination committee. Farmers’ association will take the responsibility on its shoulders for every farmers’ related issue.

Village Farmers’ Coordination Committees together will form the Mandal Farmers’ Coordination Committee, the Mandal Farmers’ Association will in turn form the district level Farmers Federation and the District Farmers’ Federations will form the state level Farmers’ Coordination Federation. Members for every Federation Committee will be appointed by the government.

Agricultural officers have already completed the process of integrated survey of farmers. Based on this the list of farmers holding land is ready. These farmers in other words will form the basis for farmers’ association. From out of this list 11 persons will be identified for the coordination committee of the village. The entire process of formation of Farmers’ Associations will be done under the auspices of Agriculture department.

For the first time in the country, a special drive to survey land records will be launched. As on date land records are there with the Revenue and Agriculture officers. There are some disputes over the lands. Besides clearing the disputes, clarity will be given during the special drive as to who owns and to what extent of land. All the land records in the Telangana state will be rectified during the special drive. Details will be available on each inch of the land and ownership rights will be properly established. Henceforth there will not be any scope for any land dispute or litigation. Only during the erstwhile Nizam state such a massive programme took place on the land records. During the Salar Jung’s regime Revenue Village system came into being. Then the village boundaries were established and after that nothing happened to rectify the records till date.

For the special drive, if need be, 15 thousand unemployed youth will be taken on a monthly salary of Rs 20,000 to work in the drive. For this every district will have special budget. How much land is available in the village and on whose name the land is registered etc., will be finalized during the drive. Besides giving clarity on the land ownership rights, these details will be displayed at the village center and made public. Here after the land records maintenance should be made simple and easy.

The details of undisputed land will be made public first and this may account for 90 per cent of the lands. For the rest of 10 per cent of lands having some disputes or mistakes, a public enquiry will be held under the Farmers’ Associations on comprehensive note and then the right of the ownership is finalized.

New Pass Books will be given after getting clarity on the ownership of the land. Every farmer’s pass book is given a unique code and the data will be computerized. Whenever anyone sells or purchase land anywhere in the State, information and data will automatically updated and computerized.

Rs 8000 input subsidy scheme will be implemented based on the records rectified. The list of such names will be sent to the government. Based on the land holding of farmers the money will be deposited on his name in the bank.

Village Farmers Associations should ensure that every farmer member opens an account with the banks. His account number should be given to the agriculture officers. The government will deposit money in the farmer’s accounts from Hyderabad only. Farmers for their input subsidy need not approach anyone nor make any application.

Farmers Association’s responsibility is to record the names of persons buying or selling the lands and pass on the information to the officials and ensuring that farmers get their input subsidy.

The Mandal Farmers Federations will be in constant touch with the traders in the markets and the Federations will play a key role in fixing the product price. Only after the Minimum support price is fixed and based on the suggestions of Mandal federation, the farmers get their produce to the markets.

The Farmers’ Federation work towards getting g the MSP and it will intervene when a crop does not get the MSP. It will buy the produce and the government will provide Rs 500 Crore Fund for this in the Budget. The Farmers State Federation will raise funds to a tune of Rs 10,000 Crore with Government guarantee. With this money, it will buy produce from the farmers.

The state government will give permit to the Farmers State Federation to process the produce it purchased from the farmers. Thus, it can change paddy to rice, make pulses, Turmeric and red chilly powders and sell them.

Village farmers associations are the platform for rectifying the land records and the officials visit the villages to rectify the records in the presence of the farmers.

There will be total transparency in changing the name of the ownership when people get their land on hereditary basis, change of names and the procedure will be simple and easy without giving any scope for corruption.

In case someone sells the land and purchases, the registrar should pass on the information to the farmers Association and MRO concerned then only the land can be registered. All this process should get over in four days. After the registration mutation should be done within 15 days and the pass books should also be ready by that time. The details of sale and purchase will be recorded in the pass books.

Registered documents and pass books should be sent by courier to the farmers directly. Farmers should not or need not meet any official in this regard. If there is any delay in registration, mutation the official concerned will have to pay a late fee as is done under TS iPass Act.

The CM announced that to pull the farmers out of misery and to offer a permanent solution for their welfare these programs are designed. The CM has further expressed his views on these aspects as detailed:

‘It is not only in our state farmers are facing problems, but also, all over the world. There are several issues and problems encountered by farmers. Farmers who are dependent on agriculture have walked into the debt trap. Telangana farmers suffered a lot due to neglect and discrimination during the united AP rule.  That was the reason why the second phase of Telangana movement was focused on the farmers’ issues.  I have agitated against Chadrababu Naidu hiking the power tariff and launched the Telangana movement. We fought for Telangana and achieved it. For us Farmers are on top priority and we are taking every measure for them. First, we have waived Rs 17,000 Crore loans. We have given 9 hours power supply and very soon we will be giving 24 hours supply”. 

“We are providing seeds and fertilizers on time.  We have taken stringent measures against marketing spurious seeds and fertilizers. We are reviving tanks under mission Kakatiya. We are constructing projects to give water to one crore acres of land. We are giving input subsidy of Rs 8000 per acre from the next year.  For getting the MSP, we are forming farmers’ associations.  We are creating crop colonies for getting demand for crops in the market.  I have confidence that the lives of farmers will be bettered with these measures. There will be a better change in the lives of farmers after five years.  Banks will stand in front of the houses of farmers to offer loans. This is my dream and it will be realized. With small measures, there is a marked difference in Palamoor district. There is a reverse migration there due to completion of the pending projects.  By giving water to Singur Ayacut there is a change in Medak District.  All those migrated to Hyderabad from these two districts returned their ration cards and went back to the districts.  This gave me a lot of satisfaction. Situation in Mehboob Nagar changed due to availability of water.  There is happiness writ large on the faces of farmers. Fruits of Telangana should reach farmers. They should prosper. My blind theory is to give more funds to the farming sector” the CM said. END