Baripada: Even tough two years have passed since paddy crop was extensively damaged in many parts of Orissa, scores of farmers in the district have not got their compensations. All these farmers have paid their agriculture insurance premiums to cooperative societies.
Reports said, the main branch of Mayurbhanj Central Cooperative society is at Baripada. There are 52 Large Area Multiple Primary Cooperative Societies (LAMPS) functioning under it. Thousands of farmers had been provided loans though the LAMPS in 2015. As per guidelines, they were also covered under the National Agriculture Insurance Scheme during the loan release.
Over 700 farmers affiliated to Dhangidimunda and Karanjia LAMPSs had also been converged under the insurance in 2015-16. They had deposited their insurance for 2015 Kharif. That year, paddy was damaged by drought and the government had declared those areas as drought-affected.
503 farmers under Dhangidimunda LAMPS and 257 under Karanjia LAMPS have not received their compensations. Famers alleged that even the crop damage has not been assessed even though two years have passed since the drought hit several parts of the state.
The district registrar of the cooperative societies had apprised the state registrar of cooperative societies of the matter vide letter 50 dated January 5, 2017. He has since been sitting pretty. On the other hand, state registrar of cooperative societies had directed the chief executive officer of the Mayurbhanj Central Cooperative Society December 18, 2017 to submit a list of farmers of the two LAMPS along with necessary documents within seven days. But the Mayurbhanj Central Cooperative Society has not taken any step in this regard, it was learnt.
Dhangidimunda LANP had disbursed loans to the tune of nearly Rs 1.22 crore. The affected farmers are entitled to compensations of Rs 55, 83,118. It was alleged that due to apathy of the Mayurbhanj Central Cooperative Society, the affected farmers have not yet received their compensations. They alleged they have been frequenting to the LAMPS, but nobody makes its clear to them when the compensation will be paid.
Jagannath Sahu, a local farmer, said, “The bank authorities are solely responsible for our problem. In other cases, insurance is cleared immediately. We have been suffering for last two years while the bank authorities are sitting pretty.” President of the bank Rajkishore Acharya said he has met the state registrar of cooperative societies and apprised him of the issue.
“In a week, the affected famers will be paid compensations,” he assured. PNN