PANAJI
In a bid to streamline its subsidy disbursal mechanism, Director of Agriculture, Nevil Alphonso, has issued multiple notifications giving Aadhaar primacy as an identification document for beneficiary farmers to avail the incentives under at least a dozen schemes.
However, those individuals who do not possess the Aadhaar number or has not yet enrolled for Aadhaar, will not be disqualified to avail the schemes but will be required to apply for Aadhaar enrolment before registering for the scheme.
The notification lists out 13 schemes including the one that provides farmers financial assistance for organic manure, bio fertilizers, bio pesticides, bio insecticides, bio stimulants, bio control agents, pheromone trap and light trap besides another one for development of manures to correct soil parameters.
Another scheme for human resource development which encourages farmers to upgrade their skills through training and exposure to technology will also be available only through submission of Aadhaar as will the scheme for compensation due to losses caused by unseasonal rains, floods, landslides, siltation, drought or attack by pests.
Some other schemes where Aadhaar will now be compulsory to avail benefits include fencing of farm land holdings, revitalization of khazan lands by seed distribution of salt resistant paddy varieties, promoting improved technologies in food grain crops and high yielding or certified seed, crop protection through integrated pest management technology, one time aid for removal of weeds/shrubs/bushes, aquatic weeds by hiring power driven machinery and equipment and mechanisation.
