More than 5, 000 Sambalpur farmers under the banner of the Krushak Suraksha Sangathan placed a 12-point charter of demands before the State Government to facilitate paddy procurement during the coming harvest season. They demanded not to make Aadhar Card compulsory for selling paddy in the market yards as many farmers are yet to get the card due to negligence of the concerned department.
The other demands include extension of the date of registration for the farmers to sale paddy in market yards till October end, payment of input subsidy to farmers, drought ex-gratia of `100 per quintal of paddy for the last season and payment of insurance amount.
The farmers held a meeting at the Collectorate and submitted the memorandum to the district Collector on Monday.
“Though farmers are contributing a major share to the GDP, it is disappointing that they have been neglected for decades,” said Saroj, a farmers’ leader. As many as 35 different farmer organizations of the district took part in the rally and meeting.
