4,604 farmers committed suicide between 1995 and 2011
Unless and until the agriculture and allied sector in the rural areas are strengthened, the issue of unemployment and loss of productive human resources cannot be solved,” said representatives of farmers’ bodies addressing the media here on Saturday.
The organisations under the banner of the Odisha Krushak Sangathan Samuha (OKSS) demanded that the political parties include agricultural issues in their election manifestos.
The farmer leaders stated the debt burden of farming families is on the rise reaching unbearable limits. It is distressing to note that more than 4,604 farmers have committed suicide in Odisha between 1995 and 2011.
The leaders said that as much as 66 per cent of the State’s agriculture land does not receive adequate irrigation even during kharif season.The income to farmers as compared to agriculture input costs is negligible and private sector procurement agencies are either missing or highly exploitative, they added.
According to a member of a farmers’ body, Saroj Mohanty, the Government infrastructure is inefficient and corrupt for which the farmers have to resort to distress sale of their produces.There is no effort by the Government to construct adequate numbers of warehouses and cold storages. Provision and accessibility of institutional credit, lack of insurance coverage, diversion of irrigation water to industries, land grabbing by industries are some other issues that add to the woes of the farmers, he added.
The farmer leaders demanded that the State and Central Governments ensure income security for all farm households so that producers find it viable and dignified in their profession and are not forced to give up agriculture out of distress.Among others, Saroj Mohanty, Murari Prasad Purohit, Panchanan Dalpati, Simanchal Nayak, Muka Madkami and Bhajaman Mahanta were present.