The Pradesh Congress Committee Krushak Cell (PCCKC) chairman Amiya Kumar Pattnaik on Wednesday lashed out at the State Government over the compensation package it has announced for the farmers who sustained extensive crop loss due to heavy rains and floods in several southern and western Odisha districts.
Addressing a Press conference, Pattnaik said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced the relief for the farmers without assessing the quantum of crop loss. A fact finding team having eight members of the PCC headed by Former Agriculture Minister Ramakanta Mishra proceeded to the affected districts on June 17 last to assess the crop loss of Kalahandi, Koraput, Nabarangpur and Rayagada districts and submitted a report to PCC Chief Jayadev Jena on Tuesday on the issue.
PCC fact finding team chief Mishra alleged the State Government had released the water of Kolab and Indrabati too late for the Kharif cultivation. As a result, it affected adversely the crop. Besides, the Government failed to procure paddy from the affected districts resulting in damage of at least 30 per cent of the paddy in different mandis. One Bhawani Sahu's 150 quintals of paddy are lying damaged for last 16 days at Kalampur mandi in Kalahandi district, Mishra alleged.
Demanding compensation of Rs15,000 per acre, the PCCKC said the Government should immediately direct the paddy procurement agencies to lift the wet paddy from the farmers by paying the minimum support price. He also demanded an all party meeting to sort out the problem.
Among others, senior PCC member Prakash Devta, Debedranath Mansingh, Sadhu Charan Nepak and Gobardhan Das were present.