Haryana Brings Cotton, Paddy under E-procurement Process

CHANDIGARH: Haryana will procure cash crops paddy, cotton and guar through e-procurement this kharif season as part of a move to bring all agri-commodities to the online process to increase efficiency and transparency. "We will soon bring all agricultural commodities including vegetables under the e-procurement process in Haryana. It will address perennial issues that are raised by farmers as well as arthiyas (commission agents)," Krishna Gehalawat, chairman at Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board, told ET.

The move will help resolve discrepancies faced by farmers, arthiyas, traders and procurement agencies that essentially lead to revenue loss to different stakeholders including the state, she said. The e-procurement process is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement made in April 2015 to bring all agricultural mandis in the country under online procurement, Gehalawat said. 

E-procurement in Haryana is envisaged to run parallel to National Agriculture Marketing, a pan-India electronic trading portal of existing APMC mandis to create a unified national market for agricultural commodities to streamline procedures across the integrated markets. Dr J Ganesan, chief administrator at the state marketing board, said the online process will ensure higher transparency in procurement at state level starting from the point when the farmers' produce reaches the mandi-gate. 

"The process is meant to put an end to delays in procurement process, evasion of grains and market fees," he said. Training programs are being conducted for arthiyas and special facilitation centres with computer are being set up in mandis for the same," he said. "We are looking at covering 190 mandis by the end of the current cropping season under the e procurement," Ganesan said. Under e-procurement, an auction recorder will digitise data, including credentials of farmer, his Aadhaar number and bank account details, through handheld device. An auto generated gate-pass receipt will be issued and the device will also register the login ID of an arthiya selected by the farmer. 

The process of issuing J-form and I-form will be automated to check inordinate delays, a major complaint of farmers as well as the arthiyas. The mechanism will also automate the issuance of I-form to purchase agency and a copy will be marked to Market Committee. "Around 1.6 lakh farmers across 40-50 mandis have been registered so far to be covered under the e-procurement," SAID Raj Kumar Beniwal, chief marketing enforcement officer AT HSAMB. He said that in the ensuing paddy harvesting season around 30-40% of the crop is expected to be procured under the e procurement in the state. 

Source: The Economic Times

Click Here to Read Full News