Nagpur Division Implements India's First 'E-Panchnama' for Compensating Affected Farmers

In a pioneering move to provide swift assistance to farmers affected by natural calamities, Nagpur Division has become the first in the country to implement 'e-Panchnama' for surveying damaged crops and livestock. The innovative system is expected to provide real-time assessments of the ground situation, enabling the State Government to take necessary measures promptly and ensuring faster compensation for ryots.

Divisional Commissioner Vijayalaxmi Bidari explained the concept of e-Panchnama, which is set to revolutionize the compensation process for farmers. The traditional manual procedure, which often resulted in prolonged waiting periods for compensation, will now be replaced with a digital approach, reducing the sufferings faced by farmers.

The development of the mobile application and software for e-Panchnama began in December 2022, in collaboration with the State Government's Remote Sensing Department (MSAC) and the Department of Revenue, Relief, and Rehabilitation. Officials concerned were duly trained to efficiently use the application.

Also Read: Indian Govt Launches Digital Crop Survey in 12 States for Enhanced Sowing Data Collection

Under this new system, talathis (revenue officials) will directly approach farmers to inspect crop and livestock losses. They will take photographs of the damages and upload them onto the e-Panchnama app, accurately assessing the extent of the losses.

The information uploaded by talathis, Gram Sevaks, and Krishi Sevaks will be cross-verified with the data previously filled by farmers during the e-crop survey (e-peek). Upon approval by Tahsildars, the data will be sent to the Divisional Revenue Officer, Collector, and Divisional Commissioner. Subsequently, the State Government will arrange for the direct deposition of aid into the Aadhaar-linked bank accounts of affected farmers.

Dr. Bidari revealed that 53% of the panchanamas for the damaged crops, spread across 30,599 hectares of land, have already been completed. To expedite the process further, she has directed officials to ensure the completion of all panchanamas by August 5.

Explaining the functionality of the e-Panchnama application, Tehsildar of Nagpur Rural, Pratap Waghmare, highlighted that it offers valuable features such as geo-tagging, satellite maps, and real-time weather data, all accessible at the click of a button.

Deputy Commissioner of Revenue Deepali Motiyele expressed her gratitude, acknowledging the collaborative efforts that have brought this revolutionary system to fruition.

The implementation of e-Panchnama in Nagpur Division marks a significant step towards leveraging technology for the betterment of farmers' lives and streamlining relief processes during times of natural disasters. With its ability to provide precise and timely assessments, e-Panchnama promises to bring much-needed relief to farmers and expedite the distribution of compensation to those affected by unfortunate calamities.

Also Read: El Nino Expected to Impact Monsoon Season, IMD Predicts Below-Normal Rainfall in August