Extended deadline brings limited relief to farmers battling registration issues

The Odisha Government has accorded a time extension to affected farmers to report crop losses due to recent incessant rain, adding an additional 72 hours to the existing deadline. However, this move seems to have failed to address farmers’ challenges, particularly those who lack internet access or technical knowledge, ahead of the midnight cutoff tomorrow.

According to sources, the Co-operation Minister has pledged compensation for all affected farmers, including those without crop insurance.

Amidst an anxious atmosphere, farmers find themselves stretched thin with just 24 hours left to report damages. Many are preoccupied with seasonal activities such as harvesting and drying paddy, which has become saturated due to incessant rainfall.

Also Read: Rainfall in Odisha: Minister assures compensation to farmers for crop loss

The absence of digital prowess further complicates their ability to register online using mobile phones or personal computers.

Recent rainfall has wreaked havoc in several districts, leading to significant crop damage. Initially, the Central government sanctioned a limited 72-hour timeframe for the insured farmers to register these losses.

This period now stretches to the midnight of January 1, 2025, as previously said by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. With the year 2024 coming to an end today, the urgency to complete compensation registration by tomorrow remains critical.

Expressing their struggles, affected farmers noted the unfortunate coincidence of rain during harvest season, which has diverted their attention from formal registration processes to salvaging rain-soaked crops. The lack of insurance adds another layer of distress.

Offering reassurance, the Co-operation Minister earlier stated that uninsured farmers would also receive State support.

During the initial 72-hour window, around 2,37,000 registrations were processed. However, with numerous cases still unresolved, the Government has opted to prolong the registration period, enabling more farmers to report losses.

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Farmers can report weather-induced crop damage through the Helpline Number at 14447 or via the Krushi Rakshak app. They may also use the Crop Insurance app or contact the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) WhatsApp number 706551447.

While insured farmers will be compensated, the State government has promised assistance for uninsured farmers as well.

“We are uneducated people and do not know how to register online. Arrangements should be made at block levels for our convenience,” a Jajpur farmer Padmanava Mallik said.

“We do not understand what to do at this moment, whether to collect partly saved crops as much as possible or to run after registering the crop loss,” a farmer named Akshay Das from Jagatsinghpur expressed.

“Odisha government is dismayed by the recent crop losses due to unseasonal rainfall and will pay due compensation to affected farmers. The government is also sincerely trying how farmers will get their crop insurance money. Moreover, FAQ standards have been relaxed to accommodate the crop loss,” the Cooperation Minister said when contacted.