Opposition Congress and BJP members on Thursday blamed the State Government for delay in disbursement of crop insurance claims, for which farmers have faced a lot of hardships.
Participating in an adjournment motion brought by Opposition Chief Whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati, Congress member Naba Kishore Das said the Union Government has adopted an anti-farmer policy and the State Government is supporting it. He said famers have faced a lot of problems as they have not got insurance claims for the last Kharif crop. The insurance companies are not providing claims
Congress member Dr Prafulla Majhi also slammed the two Governments for the farmers’ plight.
However, BJP members Rabinarayan Naik and Pradeep Purohit alleged that the crop insurance claims have not been provided to farmers as the State Government has failed to prepare a proper assessment report and delayed in giving the report to the Union Government. BJD embers Debesh Acharya, Dibya Shankar Mishra, Jiban Pradip Das and Jogendra Behera refuted the charges, saying the State Government has always taken appropriate steps at appropriate times for farmers.
In his reply, Cooperation Minister Surjya Narayan Patro said crop damage assessment is made as per guidelines. A total of 18,24,451 farmers were covered under the crop insurance scheme during the Kharif last year for which the State Government and the farmers had paid Rs 347.11 crore and Rs 146.29 crore, respectively, towards premium. So far, 7,86,435 famers have got claims. The farmers have received Rs 1594.06 crore against targeted claim of Rs 1637.45 crore. Steps are being taken to disburse the rest insurance claim of Rs 43.39 crore soon, said the Minister.
Dissatisfied at the Minister’s reply, the Congress and BJP members staged walkouts.