Odisha farmers flag massive corruption in Singidi primary agricultural cooperative

Farmers in Kendrapara district have accused the Singidi Primary Agricultural Cooperative Society of large-scale corruption, citing irregularities in loan disbursement, fertiliser distribution, and insurance fund allocation.

The allegations, if verified, could affect more than 1,500 to 1,700 farmers who have borrowed from the cooperative over recent years.

Forged Signatures Raise Alarm

The complaints focus on alleged forgery of official signatures by the society’s management. Farmers claim that such falsifications were used to manipulate loan approvals and other internal processes, for the benefit of the involved officers.

“My signature has been forged without my knowledge. If this happened to me, it must have happened with the other 1,500–1,700 loan beneficiaries,” alleged Subrat Das, the local farmer association’s president.

Loan Discrepancies & Abusive Practices

Farmers have also raised concerns about discrepancies in loan records. Dhaneswar Palai, a local farmer, said, “If someone has taken a loan for five rupees, they have registered it as ten rupees. When countered, abusive language was used against us.”

Sources reported that several farmers were allegedly coerced or misled regarding their repayment obligations and are now slapped with large sums of repayment despite substantially lower loan amounts.

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Fertiliser & Insurance Irregularities

Beyond loans, the farmers alleged serious issues in fertiliser distribution and insurance payments.

They alleged that many payments made in cash were reportedly adjusted incorrectly against loans, and subsidies or insurance amounts due for the 2019–20 period were either withheld or misallocated.

Farmers claim these irregularities resulted in financial losses and added burdens on smallholders relying on timely support from the cooperative.

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Calls For Independent Audit And Action

Over a hundred farmers have collectively submitted complaints to the Kendrapara ARC, the Cooperative Department, and the Cuttack branch of the Central Cooperative Bank, demanding a thorough independent audit of the cooperative’s accounts and activities.

Branch manager Itishkant Swain confirmed receipt of the complaints and said that necessary steps will be taken.

“The first allegation is that the signature of their president has been forged, and the second is that while farmers have paid for fertilisers in cash, the amount has been settled against their loans. They have asked for an internal audit. We will inform the relevant authorities about this,” he assured.