BHUBANESWAR: Notwithstanding objection from BJP, the State Government will go ahead with distribution of RuPay debit cards to farmer members of primary agriculture cooperative societies (PACS) from February 1.
The Government has set a target to distribute RuPay debit cards to 11.40 lakh farmers and install point of sale (POS) machines in all PACS of the State by March 31, 2017.
The State Election Commission (SEC) is reported to have sought a clarification from Odisha State Cooperative Bank (OSCB) about the proposed move by the Government on RuPay card distribution when the model election code of conduct is in force.
The issue was discussed at a high level meeting convened by Cooperation Secretary Manoj Ahuja here on Thursday. Senior officers of the regional office of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), National Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Registrar Cooperative Societies and OSCB attended the meeting.
Since distribution of Rupay card is a financial inclusion programme of the Central Government and an ongoing process, there should not be any restriction on its distribution, the meeting was told.
“The RuPay debit card will enable farmers of rural areas to draw money from ATMs and POS terminals. As the rural people are worst affected due to cash crunch after demonetisation and restriction on cash withdrawal, it will be better if the debit cards are provided faster,” sources present in the meeting said.
The State Government has planned to issue RuPay card to members of 1600 PACS in the first phase. Rest of the PACS members will be covered by end of June, 2017, the sources said.
Currently, these PACS members are Kisan Credit Card (KCC) holders. They have been provided pass books and cheque books against their accounts. The RuPay card will make them digitally enabled for cash withdrawal and e-commerce transaction.
A couple of days back, the BJP had petitioned the SEC alleging that the State Government decision to provide RuPay cards and install POS machines in PACS are intended to influence farmers in favour of the ruling BJD in the upcoming panchayat elections. This amounts to clear violation of election code of conduct, the party had said.