The task of distributing bonus amounting to a total of Rs 2,238 crore to the tendu patta workers and farmers had commenced even as the marathon 6,100 kms ‘Vikas Yatra’ led by Chief Minister Raman Singh is underway covering length and breadth of the entire State.
An estimated 13.50 lakh members of around 915 primary forest produce co-operative committees are being distributed bonus as tendu patta collection workers amounting to Rs 311.70 crore. The tendu patta bonus is being distributed in State’s 32 forest circles to workers for their collection work for year 2012, according to an official statement issued here on Wednesday.
Notably, 80 per cent of the profit generated by primary forest produce co-operative committees is being distributed as bonus to the its members who are tendu patta collectors.
During 2012, the primary forest produce co-operative committees recorded arrivals of 18.17 lakh standard bags of tendu patta in their respective forest circles.
The tendu patta collectors were paid wages of Rs 1,100 per standard bag of tendu patta during 2012. A decision was taken to distribute the bonus from the hands of Chief Minister Raman Singh besides also carrying out their distribution from the headquarters of the forest produce co-operative committees.
Currently during the course of the Vikas Yatra, the Chief Minister besides distributing various items under government schemes to the beneficiaries is also distributing bonus to a large number of farmers and the tendu patta collectors.
Moreover, as per the earlier announcement made by the Chief Minister, the State’s 10.08 lakh farmer members of a total of 1,333 primary co-operative committees are receiving a total bonus amounting to Rs 1,926 crore at the rate of Rs 270 per quintal of paddy for the year 2012 in a drive currently underway in the State.
This apart, the Government during the Kharif Marketing Year 2012-13 purchased paddy in excess of 71.33 lakh metric tonnes from the primary agriculture co-operative credit committees. The paddy was purchased from more than 10.082 lakh farmers of co-operative committees.
In lieu of this, about Rs 9,000 crore was paid to the farmers at the support price of paddy. This apart, as per the announcement of the Chief Minister during the budget session, the farmers are currently being paid an estimated Rs 1,926 crore as bonus for the current financial year 2013-14.
The officials of Chhattisgarh State Co-operative Marketing Federation, the maximum bonus distribution would take place in a special drive amounting to Rs 214.86 crore to 47,215 farmers in Janjgir-Champa district where the committees sold paddy in excess of 7.95 lakh metric tonnes.