Farmers on relay fast over crop loss claims

SAMBALPUR: Farmers under the aegis of Sambalpur Zilla Krushak Surakhya Sangathan (SZKSS) on Tuesday went on an indefinite relay hunger strike near the district collectorate here demanding disbursement of insurance under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana for crop loss due to drought in 2018 kharif season.

The farmers will stage round the clock protest at the spot. Every day, over a hundred farmers from each gram panchayat of the district will participate in the relay hunger strike.

Advisor of SZKSS Ashok Pradhan said farmers of Kuchinda sub-division are yet to get insurance claims for the paddy crop loss due to drought in the last kharif season. Reliance Insurance Company had insured crops in the district by taking premium money from farmers. However, the firm is now adopting dillydallying attitude in disbursing the insurance, he said.

The insurance company was required to disburse the claims within 45 days after the crop cutting report is submitted. Farmers of Kuchinda should have received insurance by March this year. However, they are yet to get their claims till date, Pradhan said.  More than 12,000 farmers of 49 panchayats under the sub-division are yet to get their claims. So far, farmers of only six panchayats have received insurance.

Earlier, farmers had observed Kuchinda bandh and staged rail roko for four hours at Bamra and Sagra railway stations over the issue.  Official sources said the insurance company is not accepting the crop cutting report submitted by the district administration and the matter has been referred to the Central government for its consideration.

Chief District Agriculture Officer, Sambalpur Khagendra Nath Jena said the Centre has assigned an independent agency, Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre (MNCFC) of the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers’ Welfare to examine the matter. The insurance claims will be disbursed to farmers on the basis of the report of MNCFC, he stated.

Source: The New Indian Express