Lahore: The Punjab government has allocated Rs. 10 billion in the budget for 2024-25 for the farmer card.
The Punjab government claims that the farmer card is being issued in the province for the first time; however, experts disagree with this claim.
During the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, the implementation of the farmer card and the registration of farmers had been initiated, but this card did not include virtual loading.
The current farmer card includes a balance of 1.5 million rupees.
Key points of Punjab budget 2024-25
Punjab’s Agriculture Secretary Iftikhar Ali Saho informed media that the farmer card will serve as an identity card for farmers.
In the future, all facilities of the Punjab Agriculture Department will be available to farmers through the farmer card.
A farmer without the farmer card will not be eligible for any subsidies under the Punjab Agriculture Department, including land reforms and subsidy schemes.
The farmer card will be issued to farmers owning up to 12.5 acres of land. In Punjab, there are fewer than 600,000 farmers in this category.
By June 15, the Agriculture Department of Punjab had received 93,000 applications for the farmer card, and the verification process is ongoing.
A spokesperson for the Punjab Agriculture Department stated that the verification process will take place at three stages for applicants.
Firstly, the verification of the applicant’s identity card will be conducted in NADRA.
Secondly, the Punjab Land Record Authority will verify whether the land records provided with the application match the ownership.
Lastly, the bank will verify that the applicant is not a defaulter.
According to officials, a total of Rs. 7.5 billion has been allocated for loans and subsidies to farmers. Rs. 10 billion are specifically allocated to pay interest to banks for the farmer card.
Each farmer will be eligible for a loan facility of 1.5 million rupees.
The farmer will repay the principal amount obtained from the bank, while the Punjab government will cover the interest.
Through the farmer card, registered dealers can purchase subsidized quality seeds and fertilizers. Registered dealers will receive point-of-sale from banks.
So far, 750 seed dealers and 800 fertilizer dealers have been registered for the purchase of standard fertilizers and seeds.
The registration process for 10,000 seed and fertilizer dealers will be completed by June 30.
Former Director General of Punjab Agriculture Department’s Extension and Agricultural expert Dr. Anjum Ali Butt stated that in Punjab, direct and indirect subsidies were provided to farmers under federal and provincial government programs in 2016.
Subsidies were provided for various seeds and fertilizers.
The subsidy voucher was placed in the seed bag for fertilizer, and the farmer would claim it and transfer the amount to their mobile account after verification.
He mentioned that the farmer card was implemented during the 2018-19 fiscal year, registering 800,000 farmers.
However, there was a flaw in this card as it did not include virtual loading, despite multiple recommendations.
The current card has a balance of 1.5 million rupees.
Progressive farmer Aamir Hayat Bhandara told Express Tribune that the farmer card would eliminate black marketing by dealers of fertilizers and seeds.
Dealers used to sell fertilizers and seeds at inflated prices due to the compulsion of farmers, while brokers would buy crops at low prices after giving loans to farmers.
Due to the farmer card, farmers will no longer have to take loans from brokers to buy crops at low prices.
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