Where
is Smart Phone for farmers in Odisha ?
Neither farmers nor farmers’ organization have
ever demanded for smart phone
for them. Rather they have
demanded MSP for paddy, storage and marketing of their products etc. Without
addressing the fundamental problem of farmers, the State Govt. has tried to cheat them
through declaring so-called
populist schemes.
In April, 2018, the Chief Minister has declared about State Govt.’s
decision to distribute Smart Phone to women farmers free
of cost. He has also
stated that the information
about agriculture, climatic condition
, technical advice will be
disseminated to Women farmers through Smart
phone.
On 22.9.18., RTI application was filed to
the Depart of Agriculture and Farmers’
Empowerment, Govt. of Odisha seeking information about details of smart phone distributed to the
farmers in Odisha. RTI Application was eventually transferred
to the PIO, Cooperation Department then
Odisha State Agriculture Marketing Board
to supply information. RTI Application was deliberately kept pending
for 4 months, though there is provision of supply of information within 30
days of receipt of RTI Application.
On 31.1.19, the PIO, Odisha State
Agricultural Marketing Board has
supplied the information which is as follows.
1. Under the scheme “providing free mobile
phones to farmers to access market information” the State Govt. has
sanctioned Rs. 6 crores ( Rs. 3 crores in 2017-18 and Rs. 3 crores in 2018-19 ) to
distribute free mobile phones to farmers
with the objective of empowering them with update market information at the finger tips through voice call and SMS in Odia language.
2. On 20.6.18, the Cooperation Department has
written letter to the Director, Odisha State Agriculture Markeing Board (OSAMB)
to
call for tender for procurement of smart phone with android
facilities. But
till yet , nothing has been done
in this regard.
3. The District-wise beneficiaries target to be finalized by the OSAMB. The number of beneficiaries will be divided among
the RMCs in proportion to the registered farmers
under each RMC in the district concerned and preference will be
given to farmers having Rupay cards/
Kisan credit card and also have availed credit
and remained default free.
4. The list of farmers is to be finalized by a committee
at the district level headed by the concerned District Collector.
5. On query
about purchase of Smart phone,
the PIO has said that the Govt. has not yet invited
tender nor procured smart phone.
6. So
though 9 months have passed, the State
Govt. has not distributed smart
phone till yet.
7. The
question comes what is the reason for declaring
such scheme and held it up
for unknown period. The Chief
Minister must clarify publicly.
As I recall, in 2013 just before 2014-
Assembly election, Nabin Patnaik, Chief Minister
declared mobile scheme for farmers. Under the Scheme, a
budgetary allocation of Rs. 2 crores was
earmarked to distribute mobile to 20,000 farmers free of cost. A mega Mobile
distribution ceremony was organised in Bhubaneswar to inaugurate launching of
Mobile scheme. Chief Minister launched the scheme and distributed
mobile to few farmers free of cost. As per RTI information, Total
amount of Rs. 35 lakh was spent for this launching
ceremony. This mobile was distributed with the objective of
sensitising the farmers through mobile message about agricultural schemes,
technical advice for cultivation etc.
After one year of distribution of mobile
phone to farmers, RTI Application was filed to few districts like Khurda,
Bolangir, Kalahandi ,
Malkangiri to get information about list of
farmers distributed mobile phones. The idea of seeking this
information was to interview the farmers about use of
mobiles by them and how it helps them to get
the information about agriculture from the Govt. Not a
single District provided the information about the list of farmers. The
Govt. has also no list of farmers who received the mobiles. There is
also no study by the Govt. about use of mobile by farmers or their
family members. It was learnt from Govt. officials that the mobiles
were distributed to the farmers in view of forthcoming
election of 2014 to woo them for votes. Dissemination
of information through mobile phone was just a plea for spending money from
state exchequer to get votes.
As the forth-coming assembly election is
nearby, the BJD Govt. is trying hard to garner electoral
support from different section of voters by declaring various lucrative
schemes. Smart phone for farmers is one of them. The
declared objective of distribution smart phone to
farmers for information dissemination
about cultivation is false and
deception. The agenda is to mobilise farmers for
votes in the coming assembly election through
Smart phone.
The people of Odisha must understand the
evil design of Govt. behind distribution of Smart Phone in backdrop
of suicide of hundreds of farmers in Odisha due to apathy of the State Govt.
Pradip Pradhan
M: 9937843482
Date: 3.3.19
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