Agricultural production in Odisha is likely to be affected badly by the proposed Bill aimed to protect the interest of sharecroppers.
The State Government has prepared the draft of a new Act for safeguarding the interest of sharecroppers. With the implementation of the law, many landowners would be reluctant to allow sharecroppers to till their land, said sources.
As per the draft Bill, an agreement would be signed between the landowner and the sharecropper in the presence of Revenue Inspector and other senior officials. The sharecropper would have the complete right on the land till the end of the agreement period and would be entitled to get Government assistance in the event of crop loss due to natural vagaries.
The Bill provides for crop insurance, agriculture loan and calamity aid benefits to the sharecroppers, the sources said.
Under the Bill, the landowner would bear revenue tax and water cess and would be prevented from interfering in the use of the land from the date of signing of the agreement. He can donate, sell or mortgage the land; and the sharecropper can plough the land till the end of the agreement period.
Notably, the State has a total 61.80 lakh hectare of cultivable land whereas paddy was cultivated in around 37 lakh hectare during the kharif season last year. Although around 15 lakh hectare was hit due to drought, the State had created a record in paddy production last year.
While there is irrigation facility for 34 lakh hectare during kharif and 17 lakh hectare during rabi season, according to official information, cultivation is being done on only 29 per cent of the irrigated land.
However, an annual average of 7 lakh hectare of land remains vacant due to various reasons including the Re-1 rice scheme and acute shortage of agricultural labourers.
On the other hand, the number of marginal farmers has increased to around 34 lakh as compared to small, medium and large farmers whose number is declining in the State.
Although no specific data is available with the Government about the number of sharecroppers, it is expected to be more than 25 lakh.