PANAJI
Over 51,000 ‘landless’ Krishi Card farmers in Goa failed to get benefit under Centre’s ambitious ‘Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sanman Nidhi’ (PMKSN) scheme, as according to the government records, they are not the original owners of the agricultural land.
The Agriculture Department confirms that these farmers have not yet enrolled their name on Form I & XIV of the Revenue Department declaring them as the owners of the agricultural land, which is now inherited by them.
As per the record, of the total 51,800 farmers holding Krishi Cards, only 6,357 have availed benefit under the PMKSN since its launch in February 2019. All the farmers have received their hundred per cent payment.
The PM-KISAN scheme aims to provide Rs 6,000 annually in three equal instalments directly into the bank account of farmers holding agricultural land as minimum income support to boost small and marginal farmers' incomes.
“We have found that a large number of farmers having Krishi cards are not the owners of the agricultural land as their names do not reflect in Form I & XIV. In reality they have inherited these agricultural lands from their ancestors or parents but till date, their names are not in the government record,” Director Agriculture Sandeep Fol Desai said.
The department has now urged the farmers to undertake necessary mutation or changes in the revenue forms to avail benefits of various State and Central government schemes.
“Unless, the land titles are in their name, they cannot avail benefits under the scheme,” Desai said adding ‘in some cases there are discrepancies in the name’.
State government and UT administrations will identify the farmer families which are eligible for support as per scheme guidelines.
As per the scheme, the individual or anyone in the family holds or have held Constitutional post, serves as employee in the office of a Minister or department or has paid income tax, higher income status, having a monthly pension of Rs 10,00 and above, professionals, etc are not eligible under the scheme.
