Pradesh Congress Committee Krushak Cell (PCCKC) chairman Amiya Kumar Pattnaik on Tuesday lashed out at the State Government over the compensation package for the farmers who sustained extensive crop loss due to heavy rains and floods in several southern and western Odisha districts.
Besides, it declared to back the Navnirman Krushak Sangathan (NKS) rally on Wednesday at the lower PMG.
Addressing a Press conference, Pattnaik said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced the relief for the farmers without assessing the quantum of crop loss.
The PCCKC alleged that the Government has failed to procure paddy from the affected districts resulting in damage of at least 30 per cent of the paddy in different mandis. Paddy is lying damaged at Kalampur mandi in Kalahandi district, Pattanaik said.
Pattnaik Demanded a compensation of Rs 15,000 per acre, hike in the minimum support price (MSP) of paddy to Rs 2,500 per quintal, Rs 500 bonus on every quintal, immediate payment of last year’s crop insurance dues, free electricity for agriculture, taking a revenue village as a unit for crop insurance, waiving of agricultural loan up to 2015 and Rs 3,000 monthly pension to every farmer above the age of 50.
PCCKC said the Government should immediately direct the paddy procurement agencies to lift the wet paddy from the farmers by paying the MSP.