Farmers of Khariar block met district officials of Nuapada in the weekly grievance hearing held in the Khariar block office on Monday to complain about the denial by the banks to release insurance money against crop failure of Kharif-2017.
It was complained that the amounts paid by the insurance companies to the loanee farmers who have not renewed their crop loans have been held up by the banks. Citing a letter of the State Cooperation Department Secretary, the farmers demanded that the administration issue direction to the banks to extend uninterrupted assistance to farmers through conversation of crop loans of the 2017 Kharif into mid-term loan.
The letter of the Cooperation Department clearly states that the crop loans of farmers who have faced loss of 33 per cent should be converted into mid-term loan of three years and those who have faced more than 50 per cent crop loss should be given five years for clearing their dues.
"But the banks are forcing the farmers to repay the loans in violation of instructions issued by the Government" complained the farmers. This matter could not be resolved due to the absence of the district Collector at the grievance hearing. The farmers were led by BJP district Kishan Morcha president Sanjay Tiwari.