The Agriculture Ministry has made Aadhaar authentication mandatory for availing benefits under the e-NAM (National Agriculture Market) scheme.
- This applies to both individual farmers and farmer producer organizations (FPOs).
About e-NAM
- e-NAM (National Agriculture Market) is a pan-India electronic trading portal that connects APMC mandis to create a unified market for farm produce.
About Farmer Producer Organisations (FPO)
- Definition: FPOs are voluntary organizations formed by farmers with the objective of leveraging economies of scale in production and marketing of agricultural products.
- Registration of FPOs: FPOs can be registered under the Companies Act (Part IXA) or the Co-operative Societies Act, depending on the state.
- Central Sector Scheme: The Government of India has launched a Central Sector Scheme to form and promote 10,000 FPOs by 2027-28.
- The scheme is being supported by the Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC).
- Approaches for FPO Formation: The scheme for FPO formation follows two approaches: the Produce Cluster Area and Commodity-based approaches.
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- Funding and Ministry: The platform is fully funded by the Central Government and falls under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.
- Implementing Agency: It is implemented by the Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC).
- Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) is an Autonomous Society promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture.
- It is focused on increasing incomes of small and marginal farmers through aggregation and development of agribusiness.
- Current Scope of e-NAM:
- 17.9 million farmers and over 4,400 FPOs are registered with the platform.
- 1,473 mandis across 23 states and 4 Union Territories are integrated with e-NAM.
- Benefits under e-NAM
- Grants of up to ₹75 lakh per mandi for infrastructure development:
- ₹30 lakh for ICT equipment and internet
- ₹40 lakh for processing and packaging facilities
- ₹5 lakh for composting units
- Biometric & Offline Verification: If biometric authentication fails (e.g., fingerprint/iris scan issues), alternative methods will be used: QR code scanning and Paperless e-KYC.
Objective of Making Aadhaar Mandatory
- Aimed at enhancing transparency, efficiency, and accountability in agri-market transactions.
- Part of the government’s broader push to link welfare schemes with Aadhaar to prevent duplication and ensure targeted benefit transfers.
Alternative Documentation Provision
- Farmers who don’t have Aadhaar yet can avail benefits until their Aadhaar number is issued by providing:
- Aadhaar enrolment proof
- A valid government-issued ID (e.g., voter card, ration card, passport, school certificate)
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