PACS powerless to give loans in Agency due to Dharani
The money is safe in the lockers and the Dharani portal will not allow disbursing the amounts to farmers
Dammapet: Dammapet Primary Agricultural Cooperative Society (PACS), which used to extend various loans to farmers including crop loans, did not give a single rupee to any farmer this year so far, thanks to some unscientific regulations in Dharani portal.
Farmers are encountering the problem not only in the Dammapet PACS but also all societies located in the 1/1970 regulation areas where bank managers of commercial banks and cooperative banks do not belong to the ST community. The officials adopted the option in Dharani portal in the 1/1970 regulation areas. The regulation will be in force in 90 per cent habitations in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district. With this, the land mortgage in these areas to get loans for agriculture is not possible.
The Dammapet PACS used to give Rs 2 crore to 3,800 farmers every year. The money is safe in the lockers and the Dharani portal will not allow disbursing the amounts to farmers. Dammapet PACS chairman Rao Jogeswara Rao said, “Earlier, we have an option that PACS may give loans on behalf of DCCB and PACS. There is no option now after the Dharani portal came into existence”.
He said the government should bring the earlier system to give loans to farmers in 1/1970 act area. The farmers belonging to all communities including STs are also facing such problems in issuing legal succession certificates to their heirs. Succession of family certificate is key to the heirs to get rights of their parents’ property. Getting a succession certificate in the agency area even after the demise of the family head is impossible.
Vepuri Suresh, a farmer in Dammapet said he was unable to mortgage his lands in banks to get loans. “Interestingly, the portal asks the caste of bank manager. If the manager does not belong to the ST community, the transaction will not be done”. He said there were no bank managers from the ST community in the region. With this, they are unable to book the slots in Dharani portal. He said he submitted a memorandum to the district collector on the issue.