He said that during the previous Left Front regime, farmers used to be paid in cash, thus creating the scope for lack of transparency and middlemen to deny farmers full value for their produce.
"Ninety-eight per cent of farmers have opened zero balance bank accounts and the introduction of the system of cheque payment for crop purchase from farmers has helped maintain transparency and keep out middleman," Mullick told PTI.
He said the government was assisting the remaining two per cent farmers to open bank accounts.
Mullick said there were complaints in some pockets that farmers were facing difficulties, but the administration and the police had been asked to register FIRs against offenders if middlemen compelled farmers to make distress sale at price lower than the minimum support price which is currently Rs 1,250 per tonne.
The state government's cheque payment policy has, however, been opposed by the CPI-M's peasant wing, which alleged that farmers faced hurdles due to the 'faulty' procurement system. (MORE)