Direct Bank Payments to Farmers a Transformative Step: Rastogi
Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh-
Haryana Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi today commended the comprehensive reform initiatives led by the Government of India and the Food Corporation of India (FCI), emphasizing their pivotal role in enhancing the efficiency of the nation's extensive food procurement operations.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the State-Level Workshop on Procurement Reforms organized by the Department of Food & Public Distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India, Rastogi described the procurement process as a "massive undertaking" that demands continuous innovation and systematic reform.
Rastogi particularly praised the Centre's groundbreaking initiative to ensure direct bank payments to farmers for their procured crops, calling it a transformative milestone in agricultural policy. "Haryana has successfully embraced this system, enabling farmers to deposit their produce at procurement centres and receive payments directly in their accounts by the time the produce reaches the godowns," he explained.
The Chief Secretary highlighted how this streamlined approach has eliminated traditional bottlenecks and enhanced trust between farmers and government agencies.
Learning from Past Challenges
Drawing on his extensive administrative experience as Deputy Commissioner, Additional Deputy Commissioner, and Sub-Divisional Magistrate in the 1990s, Sh.Rastogi reflected on the remarkable progress made over the decades. “Today, with the advent of direct benefit transfers (DBT), the longstanding challenges of delayed payments and arbitrary deductions have been largely addressed,” he noted.
While acknowledging that private financial dealings between farmers and purchase agents remain beyond government oversight, he emphasized that official payments are now completely secure and transparent.
Vision for Continuous Improvement
The Chief Secretary stressed that given the enormous scale of procurement operations across the country, emerging challenges are inevitable. "Even five or ten years from now, new issues may surface. What matters most is our unwavering commitment to continuous improvement through robust policy frameworks and timely interventions," he stated.
The Chief Secretary emphasized that successful agricultural reforms require sustained collaboration between central and state governments, along with active participation from farming communities.
Congratulating both the Government of India and FCI for their progressive approach, Rastogi expressed strong optimism about upcoming reforms. He expressed confidence that future initiatives would further strengthen procurement processes while delivering enhanced benefits directly to farmers across Haryana and the nation.