With the district and State administrations delaying in disbursing dues of paddy to the farmers despite several agitations, farmers and Congress MlAs of undivided Korpaut district led by Jeypore legislator Tara Prasad Bahinipati on Saturday sought intervention of Governor Dr SC Jamir.
"The State Government is yet to pay dues to farmers who sold around 72,000 quintals of paddy on June 30 at the paddy procurement centres opened by the Government," said Bahinipati.
The MlAs also demanded a Crime Branch inquiry into the alleged illegal and corrupt practices and the delay in paddy procurement payment dues. It’s almost five months since the farmers sold their produce, he added.
Though the farmers along with the Jeypore MlA have staged agitation on many occasions protesting nonpayment of dues for the paddy sold during the Rabi marketing season, the district administration is sitting idle.
Bahinipati urged the Governor to ensure payment of the dues before paddy is procured for the Kharif marketing season.
On Friday, the Koraput Zilla Krushaka Kalyan Manch (KZKKM) and the Koraput district Congress unit led by Bahinipati had held a 12-hour Jeypore Bandh demanding immediate disbursement of the farmers’ dues.
However, officials said the payment was delayed due to errors in the documents of paddy procured and transported to different mills from the mandis.