Hundreds of farmers under the banner of the Jharsuguda District Farmers’ Association and the lokmukti Sangthan staged a demonstration in front of the Collector office here on Monday to press for the demand of drought tag for the district.
The farmers later burnt effigies of Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy. They also demanded that the State Government extend all necessary assistance towards farmers in distress and provide compensation to farmers, whose crops have been damaged due to scanty rainfall.
Farmer leader Anant Panda demanded loan waivers and supply of free pesticides and fertilizers to farmers and improvement in irrigation facilities for the development of agriculture in the district.
later, a group of the farmers met Collector Parmeswaran B and discussed their problems. Farmer leaders Surendra Sahu and Dilip Badhai also participated in the protest.