Wednesday 23 September 2015 01:22 PM IST
by
Mahesh Gupthan
Registration of rubber farmers who have cited their Aadhaar numbers is expected to be completed by September 30. File photo
Thiruvananthapuram: Rubber planters who do not have Aadhaar cards yet can also avail of the subsidies the Kerala government has promised to stem a slide in commodity prices. Farmers can register with the scheme with other identification documents from October 1 to 15.
The government will also put into practice by next month its decision to extend the subsidy scheme to farmers selling latex directly along with rubber sheets.
About 2.5 lakh farmers have registered with the scheme and Rs 5.88 crore has been disbursed as subsidy to 23,000 farmers as of Tuesday.
Identification by Aadhaar was made a requirement for registering online with the scheme in the initial phase to keep away fake claimants. The requirement was dropped after widespread complaints that many farmers were left out of the scheme since they do not have Aadhar numbers.
They can submit Election Commission's identity car, driving licence, Pan card or passport in the second phase of registering starting October 1. Registration of farmers who have cited their Aadhaar numbers is expected to be completed by September 30. The software has been tweaked to accommodate the applications of the farmers without Aadhaar numbers.
A special software is in the works to help grant subsidy for farmers who sell latex directly. Their applications can be accepted from next month, authorities expect. Farmers will be given the difference between Rs 142 and the price of latex as fixed by the Rubber Board.
The state government has set aside Rs 300 crore for the grant of subsidy to rubber farmers. Though about 2.5 farmers have registered with the programme, only half of these applications were vetted and approved of. Currently, subsidies are disbursed for the rubber sold in July.
The farmers whose applications have been approved are submitting bills through the rubber producers' societies. However, there are complaints of a delay in the scrutiny of bills and subsequently, disbursement of subsidy. A shortage of field officers of the Rubber Board is adding to the delay as the staff is overworked.
The implementation of the scheme would be further strained with the addition of farmers without Aaadhaar card and those selling latex into the ambit of the programme.
Sources in the Finance Department said there was no delay in granting the money on bills that have passed the scrutiny of the Rubber Board.