Bantwal
The Agriculture Department has intensified efforts to complete enrolment under the Centre’s Farmer ID programme, as over 1.18 lakh farmers in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts are yet to register.
The Farmer ID system has been made mandatory to access several agricultural welfare schemes and financial assistance programmes. While a large number of farmers have already completed registration, a significant section still remains outside the database.
According to data released by the department, 1,39,119 farmers in Dakshina Kannada and 1,29,619 farmers in Udupi have successfully registered under the scheme. However, 69,526 farmers in Dakshina Kannada and 49,163 in Udupi are yet to obtain their Farmer IDs.
The digital identification initiative is part of the Union Government’s AgriStack programme, aimed at building a comprehensive national database of farmers. It integrates land records, Aadhaar details and bank account information to enable transparent and direct transfer of benefits.
Officials have warned that schemes such as PM-Kisan, crop insurance, drought relief and other subsidies may increasingly require Farmer ID authentication. Farmers who fail to register risk being excluded from such government support in the future.
Agriculture Department officials said multiple challenges have slowed down the registration process. Many farmers are currently living outside their native villages in other states or abroad, while others remain unaware of the registration requirements.
The process involves e-KYC verification, Aadhaar-linked mobile authentication and digital consent submission, requiring farmers to visit registration centres in person.
Registration facilities have been set up at Raitha Samparka Kendras, Grama One centres and government offices across the region. Officials have urged remaining farmers to complete the process at the earliest to avoid disruption in accessing welfare benefits.
The department has also intensified awareness campaigns to ensure wider participation and timely completion of the Farmer ID enrolment drive.