Alathur: Two months after starting paddy procurement in the state, Supplyco has commenced disbursing payments as loans against Paddy Receipt Sheets (PRS). Payments will be made for PRSs verified up to November 15, according to the Supplyco paddy procurement manager.

Instead of the date mentioned on the PRS issued when the paddy was handed over to the mill, the verification date provided by the Paddy Marketing Officer will be considered. Farmers can check the PRS status and verification date via Supplyco's website using a smartphone or through Akshaya Centers. The information is also available at the District Paddy Marketing Office.

Payments are being disbursed through the SBI and Canara Bank branches. Farmers must apply for payments at the same bank branch where they provided account details during registration for paddy procurement. 

Supporting documents previously required for PRS loans must be attached to the application. Bank officials will verify the applications and update the loan approval details on Supplyco's website. Once Supplyco approves the application, the loan will be disbursed to the farmers’ accounts.

Previously, Supplyco provided lists to banks in phases for loans against PRSs up to a specified date. Farmers often had to visit banks multiple times to check if their names were on the list, causing inconvenience, especially for elderly and rural farmers. The new system eliminates these challenges.

It is important to note that PRSs only mention the date of issuance, not the date of verification. This requirement to know the verification date before applying at the bank may cause confusion for farmers.

Supplyco has yet to receive ₹175 crore allocated by the state government for paddy procurement. Out of the minimum support price to be provided by the central government, ₹73 crore has been sanctioned. If Supplyco fails to clear its outstanding repayments for previous PRS loans to the consortium of banks, the disbursement process could face delays.

After completing payments for PRSs verified up to November 15, a schedule for the next phase of disbursements will be announced. In the first phase, around 15,000 farmers statewide, including 7,000 from Palakkad district, are expected to receive payments for their paddy.