About 39,508 loanee and non-loanee farmers in Balangir district have not received compensation for crop loss though it has been year since they had insured for the crops. This was announced to mediapersons by Balangir District Central Cooperative Bank president Laxman Kumar Meher on Thursday.
In 2018, the Odisha Government had declared as 1,125 villages of 230 gram panchayats of 10 blocks of Balangir district as drought affected. And a total of 39,506 farmers, both loanee and non loanee, had insured their crop through the PM Phasal Bima Yojana with M/S Royal Sundaram by paying an amount of Rs 5,67,05,787. However, 10,580 farmers received partial compensation, while other farmers have not received their money.
The Balangir District Central Cooperative Bank in its recent meeting expressed concern over the delay in providing compensation to farmers and urged higher authorities to take steps to provide compensation to the farmers.
“On July 18, I wrote letters to the Chief Secretary, Government of Odisha, the Registrar of Cooperative Society, Bhubaneswar and discussed with the district Collector Balangir on the issue. I would also meet the Chief Secretary in this connection,” said Meher, adding that private companies should be allowed to cover crop insurance in the State.