What is E Paddy? Easy explanation [2024], Registration

E Paddy is a groundbreaking online platform by the Department of Food and Supplies of West Bengal for the procurement of Paddy. It guarantees farmers receive the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their paddy. This initiative not only supports farmers but also supports the Khadyasathi Scheme, vital for maintaining the Public Distribution System.

 

What is E Paddy Procurement

E Paddy Procurement is an online platform launched by the West Bengal Government [epaddy wb gov in]. It is designed to help farmers, especially small and marginal ones, by ensuring they receive the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their paddy. This initiative also supports the Khadyasathi Scheme, which aims to maintain the Public Distribution System.

To make the process easier for farmers, the government has set up Centralised Procurement Centres (CPCs) in every state block. Here, farmers can sell their paddy directly to the government at the MSP, which is credited to their accounts within three working days.

To reach farmers in remote areas, the government has enlisted six CMR Agencies such as WBECSC Ltd., BENFED, CONFED, NAFED, and PBAMCL. These agencies purchase paddy through Cooperative Societies, Self Help Groups, and Farmers’ Producers Organisations (FPO). The procured paddy is then sent to approved rice mills, and the resulting Custom Milled Rice is stored in government warehouses before distribution through the PDS channel.

The entire procurement process is fully computerized and IT-enabled, streamlining operations from start to finish.

West Bengal official Website  link: https://epaddy.wb.gov.in/

E Paddy procurement process

The e-Paddy procurement process involves three main steps: registration, scheduling, and payment.

Registration: Farmers first need to register on the e-Paddy platform. This typically involves providing necessary details such as personal information, landholding details, and banking information. Once registered, farmers can access the platform’s features and services.

Scheduling: After registration, farmers can schedule their paddy for procurement. This involves indicating the quantity of paddy they intend to sell and selecting a date for delivery to the designated procurement center. Scheduling helps streamline the procurement process and ensures efficient handling of the paddy.

Payment: Upon successful delivery of the scheduled paddy to the procurement center, farmers receive payment for their produce. The payment is typically based on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) set by the government. Payments are credited directly to the farmers’ bank accounts within a specified timeframe, ensuring timely and hassle-free transactions.

Benefits of E Paddy

E Paddy is a win-win for farmers and the agricultural sector, making things simpler, fairer, and more efficient for everyone involved. here are some key benefits of e paddy procurement.

1. Easy to Use: With e-Paddy, farmers can do everything online – sign up, schedule deliveries, and get paid. No more paperwork or running around!
2. Transparent: The system is transparent. Farmers can check their transactions, see when they’ll get paid, and use other services easily.
3. Fair Prices: Farmers get a fair price for their paddy, set by the government. This helps them earn a good income and feel secure about their earnings.
4. Get Paid On Time: Once farmers deliver their paddy, they get paid straight into their bank accounts quickly. No waiting around for checks or cash!
5. Reach More Markets: Through e Paddy, farmers can sell directly to government centers. This opens up more opportunities for them and helps them expand their business.
6. Saves Time: Using e-Paddy cuts down on delays and paperwork, making everything run smoother and faster. It’s a real time-saver for farmers!
7. Helps Everyone: By making it easier for farmers to sell their paddy, e-Paddy supports small farmers and helps rural areas grow and develop.

Who can participate in E Paddy?

A person with the below criteria can participate in the e-paddy procurement procedure.

1. Land Ownership: Individuals who own land where paddy is cultivated are eligible to participate in the e Paddy procurement procedure. It is to ensure that only those directly involved in paddy cultivation can benefit from the procurement process.
2. Mobile number: You must have a valid mobile number to verify. OTP is sent to your mobile for verification.
3. Aadhar Card: Possession of an Aadhar card is necessary for authentication purposes. Aadhar helps to verify the identity of participants in the procurement process.
4. Bank Account: Having a bank account is mandatory for receiving payments for the paddy sold through the e Paddy procurement system. Payments are directly credited to the farmer’s bank account.

List of Documents Required

1. Aadhar Card
2. Passport size photo
3. Voter Id card
4. Bank Account Passbook (Front Page only)
5. Valid Mobile Number
6. Khatian/land ownership Certificate/Land Lease document/Self-declaration

Criteria might change state-wise, so always contact your local procurement officers if you encounter any difficulties.

Services provided by E Paddy platform

The E-Paddy platform offers various services to facilitate farmers. These services empower farmers by providing them with easy access to essential information and resources, ultimately enhancing their overall experience with the procurement process. These include:

Locate Your Nearest Purchasing Center

Farmers can easily locate the nearest purchasing center through the platform, ensuring convenience in selling their produce.

https://epaddy.wb.gov.in/knowyournearestpurchasecenter.aspx

1. Visit the official website.
2. On the main page, select “Locate your purchase center”.
3. Select “District” and “Block”.
4. Press the “Search” button.

Farmer Self-Registration

Farmers have the option to register themselves on the platform, streamlining the registration process and eliminating the need for intermediary assistance.

https://epaddy.wb.gov.in/Registration/SpotRegistration_Self.aspx

1. Visit the official website.
2. On the main page, select “Farmer Self Registration”.
3. Fill in your details such as Aadhar Number, farmer name, mobile no. etc
4. Click on “Generate OTP”.
5. Enter the received OTP.
6. Fill in other mandatory details marked with * sign.
7. upload the required documents like Voter card, Land certificate, and Bank passbook by clicking on the designated button.
8. click on the “Submit” button and your application is complete.

Farmer Self Scheduling

Farmers can schedule the procurement of their paddy according to their convenience, providing flexibility in managing their agricultural activities. Refer process and images below:

https://epaddy.wb.gov.in/schdulenew.aspx

1. Visit the official website.
2. On the main page, select “Farmer Self Scheduling”.
3. Fill “Registration no.” and fill the visible captcha and click on Submit button.
4. A new page will load.
5.  you will receive OTP on Aadhar linked mobile number.
6. Enter the OTP, Now click on Submit button, and click on “Confirm and proceed.”
7. A new page will load.
8. Now select District, Block, Center & available date, Now click on Submit button.
9. A new page will load. Refer images Below, now select the available time slot and click Submit.
10. Your self scheduling process is complete, Now you can download the booking Slip.

Click here to watch video

E Paddy Farmer Registration Certificate Download

Farmers can download their registration certificates directly from the platform, simplifying documentation and record-keeping processes.

https://epaddy.wb.gov.in/farmerCertificategenarate.aspx

1. Go to the official website and Click on “Farmer Registration Certificate Download”.
2. Fill in your registration number and the captcha code.
3. Click on “Generate OTP”.
4. Enter the received OTP and click on the validate button.
5. Your certificate will be downloaded.

E Paddy Farmer Payment Status

Farmers can easily check the status of their payments through the platform, providing transparency and assurance regarding financial transactions.

https://epaddy.wb.gov.in/report/FarmerPaymentstatus.aspx

1. Go to the official website and Click on “Farmer Payment Status”.
2. Fill in your registration number and the captcha code.
3. Click on “Generate OTP”.
4. A new window will open.
5. Enter the received OTP & click on “Submit and view payment Status” button.

E Paddy Farmer Registration Status

Farmers can check their application and any other request status.

https://epaddy.wb.gov.in/FarmerApplicationandUpdateStatus_new.aspx

1. Go to the official website and click on “Farmer Registration Status.”
2. Now fill in Your Aadhar or Registration or EPIC number and click on Submit button.
3. Your status will be visible.

E Paddy Farmer Details Update/E Paddy Mobile Number update

Farmers can update their contact information, including mobile numbers, to ensure seamless communication with procurement authorities. Complete the process to update the Mobile Number and all images are shown Below:

https://epaddy.wb.gov.in/FarmerMobileandAddharUpdate.aspx

1. Go to the official website and click on “Farmer Registration Status.”
2. Now fill in Your Aadhar or Registration or EPIC number and click on Submit button.
3. Your status will be visible.
4. Now click on “Please click here to update”.
5. Now enter your registration number and click on Search.
6. Choose one option from Mobile(OTP) or AAdhar(OTP) to authenticate.
7. Enter the OTP and click on Validate.
8. Farmer details will open in a new window, if details are yours then click on proceed.
9. Enter the EPIC No. and click on Validate.
10. Enter your Aadhar details and click on “Get OTP”.
11. Fill in your updated Mobile number (which you want to update) and click on “Send OTP”.
12. Now Enter OTP and click on “Validate OTP”.
13. A message will pop up to show the status of verification.
14. Now click on the “Update” button to update the mobile number.
15. Your mobile number successfully updated message will be shown.

 

History of Paddy procurement in West Bengal

It is observed that there is a significant improvement in the participation of farmers in this e-procurement system. The total number of registered farmers with this system was 4.65 lakhs in the year 2017-18 which has increased by 6 times (i.e. 23.6 lakhs) until 14th December 2019. Total paddy procured has been increased by 6 LT in the year 2018-19 as compared to 2017-18. However, no. of cooperatives and SHGs in this procurement system has declined whereas direct purchase camps have increased between 2017-18 and 2018-19.

State-wise Paddy Procurement

After we see the procurement of rice across states in India. we find that the states like Andhra Pradesh (10.4%), Telangana (11.2%), Punjab (24.5%), Odisha (9.5%), and West Bengal (8.4%) together contributed around 65% of total procurement of paddy in India in the year 2018-19.

 

Case Study on e paddy

On 21 July, study was published on the e Procurement of Paddy in West Bengal, India by Jana, Pal & Manna based on the Application of the Double Hurdle Model. The key points of the study are below:

1. This study aims to understand how much farmers use the government’s online buying system.
2. It found that what farmers know about this system, is whether they’ve signed up for it.
3. How far farmers live from the market is important for choosing where to sell.
4. Having certain things like a Kisan Credit Card, how much land they have, and if they have a storage place affect how much they sell.

Future of E Paddy procurement

The future of e-paddy procurement is very bright, poised for growth with technological advancements, improved internet accessibility, and the expansion of service centers, promising greater efficiency and convenience for farmers across the nation. Here are several points that are helping it.

1. Role of technological advancement: Now people in India have access to electricity, direct to home television services, and mobile networks in almost all areas of the county, which is helping the government to spread awareness about various schemes.
2. Role of Jan seva Kendra: in Pan India. Jan Seva Kendra is your trusted partner and is conveniently available across every corner of India. The best part is that they are providing services in return for a nominal fee.

Challenges of E Paddy procurement

1. Raising Awareness and Accessibility: One big challenge is making sure farmers know about and can easily access the government’s online procurement system. It’s tough, especially for rural farmers who might not have much exposure to technology or information about these programs.
2. Getting the Infrastructure Right: Setting up more procurement centers sounds good, but it’s not easy. Especially in rural areas, where roads might not be great and getting goods from farms to these centers could be a hassle. Making sure everyone has a fair shot at reaching these centers is important.
3. Dealing with Registration: Getting registered for the government channel is important, but it’s not always straightforward. There might be lots of paperwork or processes that farmers aren’t familiar with. Helping them navigate this could be tricky.
4. Overcoming Geography: How far a household is from a procurement center matters. But in some places, those centers might be far away or hard to reach because of mountains, bad roads, or other obstacles. That’s something to think about.
5. Family Support Matters: It’s interesting how having supportive family members can influence which market channel farmers choose. However not all families are the same, and making sure farmers have consistent support from their families could be tough.

Potential Solutions for the success of E Paddy procurement

1. Working with Limited Data: The study points out that they might have missed some factors that affect farmers’ decisions. So, making sure they’ve got all the info they need for their analysis could be challenging.
2. Getting Small Farmers Involved: Encouraging smaller-scale farmers to take part in the government procurement system for better earnings is a goal. But it’s not just about telling them to do it; it might mean providing extra support or incentives tailored to their needs.
3. Choosing the Right Research Approach: They found that their research method worked better than others, but picking the best way to study this stuff isn’t easy. There’s always a risk of biases or limitations, so they’ve got to be careful.

FAQ’s

1. Q: How do I register on the e-Paddy platform?

A: To register, visit the e-Paddy website and follow the registration process. You will need to provide personal details, landholding information, and banking details.

2. Q: What documents are required for registration?

A: You will need documents such as your Aadhar card, land ownership documents, and bank account details for registration.

3. Q: How can I locate the nearest purchasing center for paddy?

A: The e-Paddy platform provides a feature to locate the nearest purchasing center. You can access this feature  on the website.

4. Q: Can I schedule the procurement of my paddy according to my convenience?

A: Yes, farmers can schedule the procurement of their paddy according to their convenience using the scheduling feature on the platform.

5. Q: How do I change my mobile number registered on the platform?

A: You can update your contact information, including your mobile number, by logging into your account on the e-Paddy platform and accessing the profile settings.

6. Q: Is it possible to download my registration certificate from the platform?

A: Yes, you can download your registration certificate directly from the e-Paddy platform after completing the registration process.

7. Q: What is the process for checking the payment status for my sold paddy?

A: You can check the payment status for your sold paddy by logging into your account on the e-Paddy platform and accessing the payment status section.

8. Q: Are there any fees associated with using the e-Paddy platform?

A:  No, there are no fees associated with using the e-Paddy platform. It is a free service provided by the government to assist farmers.

9. Q: How do I contact local procurement officers for assistance?

A:  You can contact local procurement officers for assistance by accessing the contact information provided on the e-Paddy platform or by visiting the nearest procurement center.

10. Q: Is there a helpline or support system available for farmers facing difficulties with the platform?

A:  Yes, there is a helpline and support system available for farmers facing difficulties with the platform. You can reach out to the designated support channels provided on the e-Paddy platform for assistance.

11. Q: can we update E paddy mobile number?

A: Yes, Complete the process explained above, please refer content table.

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