lamenting over the rising famer suicides in the State, All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary and former MP Rama Chandra Khuntia has demanded Rs10 lakh as compensation and a monthly pension of Rs2,000 to the families of farmers, who have committed suicide due to crop loss and loan burden.
Besides, Khuntia has demanded that all loans of these families be waived and the Government bear the education expenses of their children.
Khuntia put forth these demands after he and PCC president Prasad Harichandan visited the family of deceased farmer Debendra Prasad Mohapatra of Khetrapala village under Dharmasala block in Jajpur district on Wednesday. Having failed to repay loans due to crop loss over the past two years, Mohapatra lost his mental balance and consumed poison. He died at the SCB Medical College Hospital, Cuttack on Tuesday.
Besides, the ex-MP blamed State Government for the farmers’ multiple plights. He alleged, “In the name privatisation, all the 13,000 lift irrigation points installed by the Odisha lift Irrigation Cooperation are lying obsolete. The Government has failed to achieve the irrigation target during the last 15 years.” The Government is completely responsible for the non-operation of lift irrigation points, non-supply of water through canals and non-provision of insurance against agriculture loans.
Moreover, the recently-announced agriculture package has no provisions for the families of farmers, who committed suicide between 2000 and 2005, he added.