SAHIWAL: The implementation of the relief package for farmers in the district remains a dream half realised for a good number of ‘beneficiaries’ due to host of issues stemming mainly from alleged official ineptitude.

Among the issues delaying distribution of cheques to the farmers are biometric thumb verification, differences of names in revenue record and pay orders, and expired CNICs.

At least 541 paddy and cotton growers were supposed to be given pay orders during the first phase of the package in Sahiwal and 30 to 35pc of them have not been able to get Rs5,000 each. They have protested over delay in the process for which they have been anxiously waiting.

Assistant Commissioner Sabah Akhtar admits that wrong names of beneficiaries on pay orders is one of the major problems hindering the process but says the district government is solving the matter.

DCO Asif Iqbal says 20,282 farmers, each having less than 12 acre, had been named as beneficiaries under the scheme and they will be given cheques in phases. There are three departments which are involved in cheques distribution -- the Bank of Punjab, a multinational cellular company and revenue department.

Unrest prevails despite official pledges

Ali Faisal, a representative of the mobile phone company, says many farmers don’t have biometric record with Nadra because their CNICs were formed before 2004. These farmers were asked to get biometric verification from local Nadra office which is being done from 48 to 72 hours.

Quoting an instance, he says, Bashir Ahmed of 49/9-L village had this problem but his matter was solved by local Nadra office and he received his cheque.

The DCO says this problem is being faced in each district, where the relief package is being given to farmers. But other major problems emerging during the cheques distribution is difference of beneficiary’s name both on pay order and his own CNIC.

As for this anomaly, a BOP representative told Dawn that they would not issue pay orders to those farmers who had different names being shown on CNICs and pay orders.

Kamran Fasil, Program Coordinator, Kissan Relief Package, Bank of Punjab (BoP), Lahore, told Dawn on phone that “there is a difference of beneficiaries’ name both on pay orders and CNICs.” He said the BoP would not give cheques to the beneficiaries until the anomaly was rectified.

“The bank will send back data to the provincial government for correction of names and later issue new pay orders and it will obviously take time because the provincial government institutions have to coordinate with one another,” he said.

Sources told Dawn that the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PMDA) had provided names of the beneficiaries which were verified by the PITB.

A senior local revenue official claimed that “difference of name is because of mismatching revenue and Nadra records.” He explained: “A person’s name on his land ownership document (Fard) is different from his CNIC name. The PMDA got data from the revenue department on the basis of which the BoP issued pay order and the same person’s CNIC name in Nadra record is not matching with his Fard name.”

There is not much clarity at the district government level as a senior officer says “the easy way out is to release cheques to the beneficiaries if their CNIC numbers are same on the identity cards and pay orders.” Many other officials refuse to buy the argument and say the matter will be taken up at the provincial level. The data must be sent back and the relevant department and BoP should work to solve the issue.

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2015