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| Refuses to accept applications not signed by MLAs | | Agriculture Deptt harasses farmers | | Saahil Suhail
Early Times Report
Anantnag, Nov 29: Resorting to sheer harassment of poor farmers, Agriculture department is refusing to accept their application forms unless they are endorsed by the Ministers/MLAs.
In many political constituencies of south Kashmir agriculturalists belonging to various far off areas are being asked to get their applications for 2000 rupees worth agriculture tool kit signed and recommended by their MLAs concerned most of whom are enjoying sunny days in winter capital.
Irked with this unusual directive, the farmers in South Kashmir's Dooru area have stopped visiting the Agriculture department offices for availing the benefits of centrally sponsored schemes.
A group of farmers complained that Agriculture department officials in Anantnag district don't accept applications unless signed and recommended by MLAs or Ministers. They accused the officials of appeasing the politicians and benefiting workers of a particular party who have access to villas of politicians.
Bashir Ahmad, a resident of Larkipora told Early Times that officials of Agriculture department posted in Dooru have distributed Agriculture Tool kits among workers of Peoples Democratic Party against the norms and guidelines governing the scheme.
"I can't visit MLA at Jammu. Our MLA (Syed Farooq Andrabi) is a Minister; he isn't accessible to a common man like me. Since July he is staying at Jammu and whenever he visits Dooru, those people roaming around him don't allow common people to meet him. So how can I get my application signed and recommended by the Minister?" another resident pleading anonymity argued.
Situation in other areas of the district is similar. Farmers of Bijbehara and Anantnag too face the same problems. "Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is representing Anantnag Assembly segment she is too busy and has apparently no time for signing and recommending the application of farmers," an officer pointed out. He said that although R&B Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri, who represents Bijbehara Assembly segment, remains available in the district but only contractors have access to him. "Such self-made rules must be scrapped so that deserving farmers can avail the benefits," he added.
According to the department, each Agriculture Tool kit costs 4000 rupees but beneficiary has to pay half of the amount only. "Agriculture Tool kit costs 4000 rupees but farmers avail 50% subsidy and have to pay only 2000 rupees," an officer informed.
District Officer Agriculture (Extension), Asmat Hussain admitted that farmers are being asked to get their applications signed and recommended by their concerned MLA's.
"There is a guideline regarding it and we have to oblige," he claimed, however admitted that farmers are facing serve problems and sometimes deserving stop the process as they don't want to approach the politicians.
Pertinent to mention here, each year Agriculture department is distributing machinery worth crores of rupees under subsidized rates among farmers but only those having affiliation with ruling political parties avail the benefits as others fail to get their applications signed and recommended from concerned MLAs. |
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