Bhawanipatna: Alleging irregularities in the Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India (BGREI) scheme at Jaipatna block of Kalahandi district, farmers gheraoed agricultural department officers Wednesday.
The incident spread tension in the village. Angry locals detained the officials and warned of a mass demonstration if no steps were taken in this regard.
According to agitators, the government launched the programme BGREI in 2010-11 to address constraints limiting productivity of “rice based cropping systems” in the districts of eastern Odisha. Under this program, farmers were taught on ways to increase production & productivity of rice and wheat by adopting latest crop production technologies.
Agricultural department has given the responsibility to provide high yielding seeds to the farmers so that it increases the rice cropping intensity and income of farmers.
However, the villagers alleged that rice seeds were distributed very late. They said the seeds which were provided to them were of very low quality. They further alleged that block agricultural officers and village agricultural officers embezzled the funds.
As per the complaint, in the previous year, the department aimed at cultivation of paddy in 100 acres of land in Bhairipali panchyat under the block. However the harvesting is over but the department is yet to distribute pesticides. Villagers alleged officers were least bothered about their plight.
PNN