Farmers can speak to Kisan Mitra counsellors about any agricultural concern or government scheme by dialling 9490900800. By contacting authorities, the team guarantees that the issue is rectified.
Farmers commit suicide for a variety of reasons, including heavy financial debt, a lack of financial assistance, crop failure, an exploitative marketing system, and an uncaring banking system. Many people have gotten themselves into problems due to a lack of financial and agricultural knowledge.
To tackle this, on April 14, 2017, Kisan Mitra was launched, a unique partnership between civil society organisations and the Vikarabad district administration. Five years later, the helpline has grown to service farmers not just in Telangana's Adilabad and Mancherial districts, but also in Andhra Pradesh's Kadapa, Visakhapatnam, and Anantapur.
A helpline number 9490900800 was established with the goal of assisting farmers. Farmers may call the number to talk with Kisan Mitra counsellors about any agricultural issue or government initiative. To remedy the issue, the Kisan Mitra team collaborates with concerned government officials. To guarantee that the issue is resolved, the field outreach team follows up with the farmers in the field. If matters have been outstanding for a long time, instructions are issued to the appropriate officials.
The team's efforts have resulted in the resolution of 5,810 cases in Vikarabad, 3,566 in Adilabad, and 924 in Mancherial districts. However, there are 1,199 cases outstanding in Vikarabad and 599 instances in Mancherial districts. The majority of the topics concerned agriculture and revenue.
Taking a Stand For The Farmers
Kisan Mitra has also been striving to provide market support by intervening when distressed calls were received about the procurement process, assuring the minimum support price, and procuring Rabi crops, among other things. Through Kisan Mitra's banking credit intervention, the Joint Liability Groups (JLG) of roughly 700 tenant farmers in Adilabad were helped with a loan of '1 lakh to '1.5 lakh per group.
Kisan Mitra has followed up on revenue-related concerns reported by farmers by coordinating with relevant officials, conducting field visits, reviewing portals such as Maa Bhoomi and Dharani, and providing input to District Collectors at revenue-related issues review meetings. The helpline has been striving to guarantee that farmers who have been victimised by the government receive compensation, as well as aiding families when farmers have attempted suicide.
The District Collector of Wardha in Maharashtra, impressed by the helpline's efficiency, established a similar helpline there. Niti Aayog has also recommended meeting with District Collectors from 50 suicide-prone areas throughout the country to launch a programme similar to the Kisan Mitra.
