Farmers complain of corruption at direct purchase centres

The problem of officials demanding bribe at the direct purchase centres (DPC) continues to haunt farmers despite the steep increase in handling and loading charges and revision of salary for Record Clerks and Watchmen, three years ago

The problem of officials demanding bribe at the direct purchase centres (DPC) continues to haunt farmers despite the steep increase in handling and loading charges and revision of salary for Record Clerks and Watchmen, three years ago.

As soon as the present government assumed office, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin during his visit to Thanjavur in December 2022 announced a new remuneration structure for the DPC employees.

While the wage for loadmen was hiked to ₹10 a bag from ₹3.25 a bag in addition to travelling allowance, the salary of record clerks and watchmen was pegged at ₹5,288 and ₹5,218 in addition to ₹3,499 as dearness allowance. He called upon the DPC employees to ensure a complaint-free procurement exercise.

However, the menace of demanding bribes continues at the DPCs during that procurement season and as well as during the subsequent seasons, farmers allege.

This season, Sundara Vimalanathan, secretary, Tamil Nadu Cauvery Farmers’ Protection Association, has claimed that the “amount per kilogram” of paddy to get the produce measured at the DPC has increased by 50% from ₹1 a kg in the past. But, at a few places the farmers with the rapport they enjoyed with the DPC staff presumably due to their political allegiance, managed to retain the rate ₹1 a kg, he added.

Claiming that frequent or random inspection of paddy procurement process by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption wing personnel alone would help check or at least minimise this menace of “greasing of palms” at DPCs, he called upon the Tamil Nadu government to ensure a fair procurement process to help farmers.

Meanwhile, inquiries with the office-bearers of various labour unions championing the cause of field staff of the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation reveal that dispensation of the current practice of engaging labourers on contract for handling and loading operations at the DPCs and fixation of a bare minimum salary of ₹15,000 per month for other staff might put an end to the problems faced by farmers.