The Odisha Krushak Mahasangha has warned that current spate of farmer suicides would create an epidemic like situation if the State Government doesn’t come out with an assurance to waive all loans taken by the drought-affected farmers from the commercialized and cooperative banks, moneylenders and the SHGs.

“Economic backbones of farmers have been broken in the last two-three years due to drought, irregular rains, floods and pest attack. If the Government needs doesn’t resolve their problems permanently, the farmer suicides would not be checked at all,” said Mahasangha president Bibhudendra Pratap Das in a statement.

Das suggested that MNREGS funds be spent for establishing small irrigation points on war-footing basis in non-irrigated blocks and existing irrigation points be renovated at the earliest. The affected farmers should be given compensation of Rs 12,000 per acre of non-irrigated land besides interest-free loans to undertake Rabi crops.

He too reiterated that the Mahasangha’s longstanding demand for adoption of a genuine agriculture policy be adopted soon so that farmers facing losses due to natural calamities would never commit suicides.

The OKM suggested that each revenue village be taken as a unit for crop insurance, an agreement between land owners and sharecroppers be signed for sharing Government compensation, adoption of Shreedhar method of cultivation with use of bio fertilisers, establishment of a State-owned ‘Krushak Bank’ to provide loans to farmers and one per cent interest rate and setting up food processing units and cold stores in each block.

Farmers would be able to sell their farm produces at actual prices if food processing units are established within their reach. Similarly, establishment of cold stores would enable them to preserve their produces for the off seasons. Private persons should be given loans for five years at two per cent interest rate to establish food processing units and cold stores, suggested Das.