The Maharashtra government will closely examine organic farming certificates issued by accredited agencies to prevent fraud and safeguard genuine farmers, state Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharne said on Wednesday.
According to the PTI, while chairing a review meeting at the state secretariat, Bharne said that any irregularities found will be reported to the Central government for action against the responsible agencies.
“Verifying the credentials of certification agencies is crucial. We are also raising awareness among farmers to protect them from fraudulent practices,” he stated.
Bharne has directed officials to conduct preliminary checks to identify cases where traders may be misusing certificates by selling non-organic produce under the name of certified farmers, according to the PTI.
Though these agencies fall under the Centre`s jurisdiction, the state government will actively monitor their operations and recommend legal action when necessary.
Farmers affected by such fraud can also seek legal remedies, Bharne said.
FM Sitharaman urges farmers to tap central schemes for profitable agriculture
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday encouraged farmers to fully utilise government schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) and the Pradhan Mantri Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) to make agriculture more profitable.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Farmers` Training and Common Facility Centre in Koppal district, Karnataka, Sitharaman, a Rajya Sabha MP from the state, said the newly introduced GST reforms would also benefit the farming community. The facility was built using her MPLAD (Member of Parliament Local Area Development) funds.
She highlighted that the PMFME scheme supports value addition in agriculture by offering financial and technical aid to micro food processing enterprises. “The Centre has disbursed over Rs 3,700 crore to states since 2020, sanctioned Rs 11,000 crore in loans to farmers, and helped create over one lakh agri-entrepreneurs,” she said.
On the PMDDKY, Sitharaman noted that the scheme aims to boost farm productivity, promote crop diversification, and improve rural livelihoods in 100 low-performing agricultural districts. “A budget of Rs 24,000 crore has been allocated for 2025–26, and Koppal is among the districts set to benefit,” she added.
Sitharaman also underlined that 43 lakh farmers in Karnataka are receiving support under the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, which provides Rs 6,000 annually in three instalments through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
The Finance Minister said the government remains focused on promoting rural entrepreneurship to generate employment in villages.
(With PTI inputs)
