Digital initiative connects departmental portal with over 2 lakh Common Service Centre operators to simplify farmer registration and online applications
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Horticulture Department has launched a major digital outreach initiative to ensure that potato-growing farmers across the state can easily access information about government subsidy schemes and benefit from them through a transparent and simplified application process.
Additional Chief Secretary B.L. Meena said information about various potato development schemes had been communicated to more than 1.4 million potato farmers registered on the AgriStack portal, with the support of the Agriculture Department. SMS messages have been sent to their mobile phones, informing them about the schemes and encouraging them to register and apply online through the departmental portal.
To make the process more accessible, the newly launched departmental portal, potato.uphorticulture.in, has been integrated with the digital platform of the Common Service Centre (CSC) network. More than 2 lakh Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) across Uttar Pradesh will now be able to assist farmers with scheme-related information, registration and online applications.
The initiative is expected to benefit farmers in rural areas, particularly those who face difficulties in completing online procedures independently. They can visit their nearest CSC and seek assistance from VLEs to complete the registration and application process.
Meena said the department is currently implementing three major schemes aimed at protecting the financial interests of potato growers. These include subsidies on potato storage charges at private cold storages, assistance under the Bhamashah Price Stabilisation Fund and subsidies on the sale price of departmental potato seeds.
The schemes aim to reduce farmers’ storage expenses, protect their interests against fluctuations in market prices and make quality departmental seeds available at subsidised rates.
The Additional Chief Secretary directed departmental officials to coordinate with the Agriculture Department to ensure that all potato growers registered on AgriStack receive information about these schemes. He also called for extensive awareness campaigns through CSC operators and VLEs to encourage farmers to register and submit applications.
He stressed that eligible farmers should receive the necessary technical and procedural assistance so that no potato grower is deprived of government benefits due to a lack of information or access to digital facilities.
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