BENGALURU: To disburse drought compensation to farmers, the state government is using the Farmer Registration and Unified Beneficiary Information System (FRUITS) data which is being updated. Revenue Minister Krishna Byregowda directed officials to conduct a special campaign to update the data of farmers in the next 15 days. “If everything goes well, farmers are likely to get their compensation amount in December,” he said.
He held a review meeting with the Revenue Department officials, including deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners and tahsildars, on Friday. He told reporters that now, the state government is using FRUITS data to provide grants and other aid to the beneficiaries of central and state government schemes.
“This is the most transparent data that we have at present. We have data of over 95 per cent of farmers, but only 63 per cent of agricultural land. This is because FRUITS has data on farmers who have land up to two acres. If a farmer has more than two acres, that data is not recorded. To give compensation, we need data of the entire land and that is why we are organising a special campaign till this month-end where farmers can update their data at agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry and revenue offices,” he said.
Asked if the compensation will be paid in December, he said the central team was in Karnataka and the government has furnished the data. “We have sought the compensation amount and hope to get it at the earliest. We will keep the data of farmers ready. Once we get the amount from the Centre, it can be disbursed in two days,” he said.
“We have written letters at least ten times to the Union Minister for Agriculture seeking time. We even said if not Delhi, we are ready to come to any state or place to discuss it. But they have not given us time so far,” he added.
On the compensation paid in previous years during natural calamities, he said there were irregularities as the data of farmers was recorded manually. Many officials misused funds and transferred the compensation money to their accounts or their relatives. “That is why we have decided not to go manual this time.”