Farmers, on Wednesday, opposed the United States-backed proposal to increase abiana (water cess) and have demanded a facility of its payment through banks to boost revenue recovery.
The United States had asked the Pakistani government to increase water cess (abiana) by more than five times (Rs 150 to Rs 800 per acre) to recover the operational and maintenance cost of the water irrigation system. Pakistan Agri Forum Chairman Ibrahim Mughal, Muthida Kissan Mahaz President Ayub Mayo, representatives of kissan Board Pakistan and other organisations of farmers said Wednesday said the proposal of planning commission to increase Abiana for rationalising purpose would not bring the desired results.
They maintained that corrupt patwaris and other collectors would pitch in to exploit farmers as well as the government.
They expressed their apprehensions that higher Abiana rate would result in more malpractice and corruption which would in turn hit hard pressed farmers striving to make both ends meet.
They said that collection of Abiana through numberdars and patwaris was started by British rulers as they were no banks near villages at that time but continuing it in the 21st century in the era of internet and phone banking system was not a wise step.
Mughal regretted that farmers have to pay “300 percent more” than the actual dues of Abiana cess—largley due to tactics used by patwaris. “They (patwaris) deposit only about 30% of the actual abiana. Blame goes to the farmers while patwaris and their masters in bureaucracy enjoy the situation,” he alleged.
Agri Forum chairman said cost of recovery of Abiana is higher than its total recovery in Punjab and other provinces.
He quoted example of Indian Punjab and said the Indian government had removed the Abiana collection for the basic reason that it had to pay more as ‘collection charges’ against the money it got.
Farmers in the country, especially in Punjab, are facing hard situation, he said adding, “They have to pay Rs 135 per acre per year for two crops season but the water they are getting is 40 percent less against their due share because of the scarcity.”
He suggested that if the government wants to break the net of corrupt mafia it should allow farmers to deposit abiana dues in nearest branches of Bank of Punjab, National Bank and Zari Taraqiati Bank (ZTBL). This would result in win win situation
for the farmers and the government both, he said. Mutahidda Kissan Mahaz president said a simple, transparent, short and modern method should be adopted to recover the Abiana and any undue burden on the farmers should be avoided.
He said the Planning Commission of Pakistan should revisit the proposal to increase Abiana rates for recovering operational and maintenance (O&M).
“Rather than this it should prepare proposals to increase water availability for the farmers,” he said.
He said Punjab Irrigation and Development Authority (PIDA) was formed by Punjab government but it could not achieve its objective of facilitating the farmers.
Representatives of kissan board Pakistan and other farmers organisations also opposed the proposal to increase Abiana and said “leakages” in its recovery should be plugged to boost revenue and weed out corruption.
Hamid Malhi, a leader of farmers in Punjab and former chairman of Punjab Water Council said farmers were paying Rs 135 irrigation water tax per acre for one crop after 6 months but the corrupt patwaris and numberdars only deposited 50 percent of the collected tax into the government kitty.
He said the Revenue Department was trying to make the farmers pay for its inefficiency. The official also divulged that the proposal of increasing water cess has been sent to the provincial.
