Nayagarh: Farmers of Bijaynagar village under Gania block in Nayagarh district have alleged that the Horticulture Department has cheated them by not putting them under a profitable government project.
Bhikari Charan Sahoo, a farmer of Bijaynagar village, said he had taken palm saplings after receiving work order from the Horticulture Department and planted them on his one hectare of farmland in June this year.
“Earlier, I was told that the plantation was under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. However, I came to know recently that I have been included in a different scheme known as MIT,” said Bhikari.
“Had I been included in MGNREGS, the department would have paid me Rs 2.5 lakh in three years. Now what I would get only Rs 20,000 in three years,” said Bhikari.
Similarly, farmers Loknath Behera, Jaladhar Nayak, Sudhir Kumar Dalbehera and Bijay Sahoo have alleged that they have been cheated by the department.
They also have undertaken palm and cashew nut cultivation on their farmlands hoping for a good return and financial support.
Demanding justice, farmers gheraoed the office of the Deputy Director of Horticulture for three hours Wednesday. They alleged that the DDA is yet to send the documents to the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA).
When contacted, DDH Bhagirathy Pradhan said, “The letter we have received clarifies that the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department will only provide the farmers with technical knowhow. The letter also mentions that the BDO will make the payment only when he is asked to do so. The farmers will receive their money within two weeks.”
PNN
