Koraput: As many as 44 farmers of Kunduli under Semiliguda block in the district alleged that they have been duped by the Large Area Multi-Purpose Co-Operative Society (LAMPS) in the region.
As per reports, the farmers had deposited insurance premiums at the LAMPS but when they approached the co-operative society and asked for their insurance amount, no one listened to them.
The farmers alleged that they deposited Rs 18,000 per year regularly for three years but they are now running pillar to post to get their hard-earned money back.
“We paid the premiums for three years but when it became difficult for us to pay the amount, we decided to surrender the insurance and get the deposited money back. However, the LAMPS officials are just delaying the matter,” alleged one D. Appa Rao.
While the LAMPS officials are lip-locked into the matter, the concerned officials have also shifted the LAMPS office from Jeypore to Bhubaneswar which further raised suspicion among the farmers about the co-operative society.
“The concerned officials had told us that if we pay the money for eight years, we will get the double of the deposited amount. We paid premiums regularly for three years but when the concerned office was shifted from Jeypore, we did not want to continue the insurance. Therefore, I went to LAMPS office and asked for the money but they are intentionally delaying the matter,” alleged a farmer, Trinath Chopadi.
“If the insured farmers have deposited the money for three years, they will get the total amount on maturity and if they surrender the insurance beforehand, they will get the money only after some deduction,” informed the then co-ordinator of LAMPS, Santosh Acharya.
On the other hand, the co-registrar of co-operative society, Bhabani Prasad said; “The matter will be investigated. There was a LAMPS office at Jeypore which has been shifted to Bhubaneswar. We will enquire into the allegations.”