Maharashtra to issue Farmer IDs to left-out farmers after three-level land record check

The Fadnavis government in Maharashtra has taken up an initiative to give a Farmer ID to all farmers under AgriStack. Some farmers have so far been left out because they lack land records or details of their cultivation. The government has taken a decision to give them relief.

Following the Mahayuti government's decision, the way has opened for the left-out farmers to get a Farmer ID after their records are verified by the talathi, circle officer and tehsildar. Efforts were under way to take government scheme benefits, subsidies, crop loans, crop insurance and digital agriculture services to all farmers. Under this, the Revenue Department has issued a circular on the new procedure. It has been decided to issue Farmer IDs in certain exceptional cases while AgriStack is in use.

Farmers who were cultivating land before January 1, 2015, still hold that land and have at least one proof of it will get a Farmer ID. Those cultivating land on lease, people eligible for land allotted by the government, and farmers in other similar exceptional cases listed in the Government Resolution will also be covered.

The verification will be done at three levels, the talathi, the circle officer and the tehsildar, after which the IDs will be issued. Before entering details in the system, the talathi will check the village's available old and updated revenue records, land revenue receipts, inam register, sanad, lease deed or agreement, and land sanction orders. The authorised records will have to be examined closely.

Copies of the records on which the verification is based will have to be uploaded to the system, and the talathi will have to publish the list of farmers at the village chavadi. The circle officer will then scrutinise and verify the cases. The tehsildar will then examine the papers approved by the talathi and the circle officer. After the tehsildar's approval, a Farmer ID will be issued for the farmer's portion of the field.