Over 3200 listed farmers denied diesel subsidy
Many left out of list in Sylhet region
Seventy-three lakh forty thousand taka out of the Tk 36.39 crore sanctioned as diesel subsidy meant for farmers in four districts of Sylhet region had to be surrendered to the government exchequer as it remained undisbursed till the June 24 deadline.
Due to negligence of a section of upazila and union level agriculture officials under the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), 3288 farmers listed for the purpose could not get their bank accounts opened with nearest banks. Besides, a good number of poor and marginal farmers were left out of the list.
Admitting the matter, DAE Deputy Director in Sylhet region Md Matiur Rahman said on Monday afternoon, "We have already asked our district and upazila officials to make a list of employees responsible for the irregularities in this regard."
Higher authorities will be informed of the matter for taking action against the responsible people, he added.
Sources informed Tk 36.39 crore was sanctioned for the four districts of Sylhet region for distributing among the marginal, poor and mid-level farmers in assistance for diesel during the just ended Boro season. Accordingly, the upazila officials were asked to transfer Tk 800 (for marginal and small farmers having maximum 1.49 acres of land) or Tk 1000 (for mid level farmers having 1.5 to 2.49 acres of land) to the individual bank accounts of the farmers.
In total 4,23,784 farmers were listed for the cash assistance for irrigation through diesel-run equipment in the four districts of Sylhet division this year. Of them 4,20,496 farmers opened their bank accounts.
Arrangement was made for opening the farmers' bank accounts only for Tk 10 each but slow pace in preparation of farmers' list, complexities in opening bank account and political influence at the local level contributed much for causing the delay in opening the bank accounts.
The undisbursed amount includes Tk 41.81 lakh in Sunamganj, Tk 30.03 lakh in Habiganj, Tk 1.38 lakh in Sylhet and Tk 16,800 in Moulvibazar district.
According to the government decision the banks were asked to complete the transfer of subsidy amounts by June 24.
Boro farmers in Sylhet region this year were badly affected as about one lakh hectares of Boro paddy went under water due to the early floods. Poor farmers in many areas even harvested half ripen crops to avoid total loss.
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