Allegations that farmers in Kanagav, Pune district, were asked to pay ₹200 for each 7/12 land record during drought-relief processing have prompted an official inquiry, although the claim has not yet been independently verified.
Ganesh Manohar Jagtap, a Daund-based member of the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat, has written to Maharashtra’s revenue and agriculture ministers seeking an independent investigation into the alleged collection. He has also sought strict action against officials and others found responsible.
The reported allegation concerns the process for recording crop losses and completing documentation required for government assistance. Farmers are being asked to submit documents including a Farmer ID, 7/12 land record, Aadhaar card, PAN card and photographs of their crops. According to Jagtap, ₹200 is allegedly being collected for each 7/12 extract during this process.
Jagtap has asked the administration to clarify whether any official order authorises the collection. He has also alleged that farmers who refuse to pay are being warned that their applications could be rejected or that they may not receive government assistance. The claim, if established, would raise concerns about whether access to relief is being linked to unofficial payments during a period of drought, crop damage and rising production costs.
The allegation has not been presented in the supplied report as an established finding. Jagtap said he had a recording of a telephone conversation with a farmer connected to the matter and was prepared to submit it, along with other evidence, to investigating officials. He has called for the recording’s authenticity and context to be examined before conclusions are drawn.
He has also demanded that the roles of the concerned talathi, agricultural assistant and other individuals involved in receiving documents be examined. Jagtap has asked that statements from affected farmers be recorded confidentially so that they do not face pressure or fear while providing information to investigators.
The report said that the taluka agriculture officer and deputy taluka agriculture officer visited Kanagav after receiving the complaint. The officials reportedly found that the complainant was not a resident of Kanagav. The taluka agriculture officer, Ajinkya Dudhane, said an explanation would be sought from the agricultural assistant who received the complaint.
Dudhane also appealed to farmers to approach the Pune office of the Anti-Corruption Bureau if any government employee demands a bribe. The appeal places the alleged fee within the wider framework of public-service access, where farmers may be reluctant to complain if they believe that challenging an official could affect their eligibility for relief.
The immediate administrative steps are to obtain the concerned agricultural assistant’s explanation, examine the evidence offered by the complainant and establish whether any payment was demanded or collected. The authority’s response and any independent verification of the claimed recording will determine whether disciplinary or anti-corruption action is warranted.
