PUDUCHERRY: Bangaaru Vaickal Neeraadhara Koottamaippu, a farmers' association, has petitioned the Secretary (Agriculture)-cum-Chairman of the Puducherry Market Committee (PMC), alleging discrepancies in the committee's operations and highlighting revenue loss due to underutilisation of human resources.
Nine lorry drivers, originally appointed to transport produce to the farmers' market, remain on the payroll even after the two vehicles bought were auctioned out. The draw salaries that amount to Rs 43 lakh annually, according to the petition. It also pointed out the non-functional state of the sub-yard at Kannikoil, established to benefit Bahour farmers. The idle sub-yard has been incurring Rs 22 lakh annually.
The farmers who sold produce at the sub-yard in Koonichampet have faced significant delays in payments, with approximately Rs 3 crore pending from traders over the past three months. The PMC and the Department of Agriculture are yet to take action.
Also, the petition highlights revenue leakage in the collection of market fees and cess, with only 30-40% of the produce being sold through regulated markets. Despite this, the revenue collection by the Inspector of Licensed Premises (ILP) section remains significantly lower than the actual transaction volume, contributing to the PMC’s financial strain, said the farmers' association president V Chandrasekhar.
Further, funds allocated under the e-NAM scheme have been grossly underutilised, with only Rs 15 lakh spent, out of the Rs 30 lakh released in 2018. Farmers are still receiving cash payments instead of the mandated online transactions.