Haryana govt to face protest from commission agents

KARNAL: With the Haryana government gearing up to start direct payment to farmers from the coming kharif season, the commission agents (arhtiyas) in the state are opposing the decision.

The government had earlier decided to start direct payment to farmers last year, but following protests by the commission agents, the government postponed the implementation for one year.

After a meeting with chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar in September last year, the representatives of commission agents’ unions had reportedly agreed to end their protest after the CM had delayed it for one year. However, the commission agents are again planning to oppose the decision of direct payment in the coming kharif season, saying it should not be implemented in case of all farmers.

Arhtiyas want farmers to give a no-dues certificate to avail the benefit of direct payment.

When contacted, Haryana State Anaj Mandi Arhtiya Association president Ashok Gupta said, “Commission agents are against the direct payment to farmers and we will oppose this decision if implemented in case of all farmers.”

On whether the government has put any condition on submitting affidavits by arhtiyas to the district authorities that they would introduce direct payment and e-trading from coming season, Gupta said, “The chief minister had given one year’s time for the implementation of direct payment but it should not be implemented for all farmers and the farmers should be given an option of direct payment.”

Gupta had led the delegation of arthiyas to a meeting with the chief minister last year.

“If a farmer is interested in direct payment, we do not have any objection to it. But he should submit a no-objection certificate (NOC), which will be issued by the local arhtiya association confirming that the farmer has no pending amount towards commission agents”, he added.

However, the commission agents said the farmers cannot get an NOC as they are under debt and they will not get it until they clear their dues.

The commission agents also said that the decision of direct payment to farmers will affect them directly as the farmers who have borrowed money from them at higher interest rates will not return it if they get the payment of their produce directly into their account.

Officials in the Haryana State Agriculture Marketing Board (HSAMB) told HT that the government is planning to implement the direct payment option from this kharif season and it will be applicable to all farmers.

“The government is also planning to start direct payment to famers from the private traders,” said an official of HSAMB.

He added that private traders who purchase basmati and longgrained varieties will have to make direct payment to farmers and the ground-level officials are already started working on it.

Mandeep Singh Brar, chief administrator, HSAMB, was not available for comments despite repeated phone calls by HT.

ARHTIYAS WANT FARMERS TO GIVE NODUES CERTIFICATE OBTAINED FROM COMMISSION AGENTS ASSOCIATION TO GET DIRECT PAYMENT