On the National Press Day, a discussion on “Farmer Suicide: Killing or Suicide” was organised here on Monday. The panel which discussed the topic broadly agreed that farmers are committing suicides due to the faulty agricultural policy of the Government and its indifferent attitude towards drought-hit farmers.
President of Western Odisha Farmers’ Association Coordination Committee Ashok Pradhan said fixing of minimum support price and farmer insurance policy were not based on ground realities.
Farmers’ leader Saroj Mohanty said that instead of contract farming, the focus should shift to small and marginal farmers. State convener of Water initiative Ranjan Panda stressed upon the fact that the marginal farmers have just 15 per cent of the entire land but bear the burden of providing food grains to maximum.
Successful woman farmers Rambai Das and Soba Bisal and journalist Tapaswi lal Tiwari were felicitated on the occasion.
The seminar was organised by the Jharsuguda Journalists’ Welfare Trust. Journalists Mehboob Mahtab, Satya Sundar Bhanja and Soumya Ranjan Bishwal also participated in the debate. Among others, scribe Shiba Nanda and social activist Ananta Panda were present.