Sharmili Mallick

Baripada: Thousands of farmers of five blocks in Mayurbhanj district are yet to get their insurance claims under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.

The farmers of Badasahi, Khunta, Shyamakhunta, Rairangpur, Thakurmunda blocks in the district alleged that only 1466 farmers have received insurance compensation claims under the flagship Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).

Callous attitude of government officials and insurance companies are to be blamed for the delay in settlement and release of compensation claims in the region.

The farmers also alleged that they are being forced to pay premium under the scheme, even as they are yet to receive the compensation for the crop loss of 2017 kharif season.

"The government is not doing anything towards fast disbursal of compensation to the farmers for the crop loss. I had cultivated in around 3.50 acres but everything was destroyed in the floods," alleged a farmer, Sushant Kumar Patra

Another farmer Rabindra Patra informed, "Even though I had enrolled under the insurance scheme in 2013 and 2017, I am yet to get any compensation for the crop loss."

Over 1 lakh farmers had carried out farming in the 2017 Kharif season by taking loans from banks. However, the delay in claim settlement and crop assessment has led to resentment among the farmers of five blocks in the district.

"Due to the lackadaisical attitude of the concerned officials and ministers, the farmer is in distress now. The farmer community won't get anything without agitation," said Prakash Kar Mohapatra, a farmer leader.

"We have sought crop assessment report and will take up the issue of non-release of compensation claims with conncerned insurance companies," informed Tehsildar in-charge of Mayurbhanj, Damyanti Singh assuring that such issues will be resolved within 15 days.

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