The Government is examining the possibility of recognizing farmers farming on encroached government land for decades, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar told the State Legislative Assembly declaring that special Yellow Cards would be issued to these farmers, making them eligible to avail of government schemes for agriculture.

“There are several farmers, including those cultivating sugarcane, who have encroached upon government land for ages and are undertaking farming activities. They cannot be called encroachers. They are contributing to the State economy through agricultural production,” Parsekar said. 

The Chief Minister informed the House that directions are issued to the revenue department to identify such encroachers and examine the possibility of recognizing such farmers. “All farmers producing agricultural produce need to get the benefit of all the government schemes meant for them,” he said. 

Parsekar also said the government will consider giving those Yellow cards or Krishi cards in order to avail the benefits of the schemes. His announcement came in line with Agricultural Minister Ramesh Tawadkar who also expressed the idea of providing Yellow cards to those farmers, whose names reflect as encroachers on Government land and whose lands are under dispute and are not given Krishi Cards.

The Government assurance came following a request from BJP MLA Subhash Phaldessai who sought to know why sugarcane farmers were not considered for the Krishi card. 

Replying to the query, the Minister said that the government is ready to provide Yellow cards to these farmers, provided they submit a declaration from the land-lord on whose land the sugarcane cultivation is being undertaken. 

“There are many issues related to non-providing of Krishi card. In many cases the land is not in the name of farmer, or land is under litigation or is taken on lease for a short term period,” he said informing the House that there are a total of 176 such applications pending for Krishi card.