Sociologist and rights activist Rabindra Kumar Mishra, accompanied by farmers' leaders Sachin Mahapatra and Ramesh Kar, held a meeting with the Principal Secretary, Agriculture Arabinda Padhi, nodal officer of insurance, and Advisor to the Department of Agriculture Dr Rama Chandra Panda.
They discussed issues regarding crop loss and the non-payment of dues by insurance company, AIC, under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).
During the meeting, it was agreed upon that the matter would be promptly resolved, and the affected farmers would receive their compensation within two months. The decision aimed to prevent any potential agitation or protests from taking place in Bhubaneswar regarding the issue.
Notably, activist Mishra has been advocating for the rights of 6,000 farmers affected by low pressure issues for the past three years.
The proceeding of the enquiry committee report, dated July 22, 2022, recommended a payment of 85 percent as compensation. The report, conducted by the chief district agricultural officer, highlighted the devastating impact of crop loss on the farmers in three panchayats of Rangeilunda block in Ganjam district. Meanwhile, the NHRC has directed the Ganjam Collector on July 3, to take appropriate action on the farmers issues after hearing a petition of Mishra.