Crop loss and debt burden are the main reasons behind the rising farmers’ suicide in the State.
The State Government should take up the issue sensitively and take proactive measures, including waiving of all agriculture loans immediately, to check the trend, opined speakers at a seminar organsied by the Jana Kalyan Sanstha, Bhawanipatna here on Wednesday.
Members of the body demanded bank loan and Government relief to sharecroppers, completion of ongoing irrigation projects and compulsory provision of agriculture insurance.
“The State Government should also give pension. It should also provide seeds and pesticides to the peasants free of cost for the coming farming season,” said former Minister Braja Kishore Tripathy addressing the seminar as chief guest.
The meeting presided over by Bharat Bhushan Thakur, was also addressed by Human Rights activist Manoj Jena, RTI activist Pradip Pradhan, agriculture expert Natawar Khuntia and other civil society members lalit Mohan Patnaik, Bijay Pradhan, Manas Jena, Tapan Padhi, Pravash Mishra and Pranab Choudhury.