KalingaTV News Network
Balangir: Two days after the Naveen Government announced a package of Rs 124 crore for the pest affected areas in the state, veteran Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the State Legislative Assembly Narasingha Mishra on Wednesday sought more compensation for the farmers in pest affected areas during this year’s Kharif season.
Mishra’s statement came today during his visit to Kutumtola village in the district to take stock of pest affected paddy crops.
Speaking to media persons, the Opposition leader said, “Almost 90 per cent of paddy crops in this village have been damaged. Earlier the crops were hit due to the shortage of water and now the pest attack damaged almost all paddy crops in the area.”
Mishra criticised the government apathy towards farmers’ issue and sought more compensation for the farmers in the pest affected areas.
“The farmers have already spent lots of money in buying the pesticide to check the pest attack in their farm land. As per the government report, a farmer spends around Rs 30,000 per hector in paddy crops in a season, but the government has announced around Rs. 2000 per hector as compensation for the damaged crops,” he pointed out.
“I appeal the State government to provide at least 50 per cent of total cost of what the farmers have spent in the paddy crops and disburse the insurance amount of money as soon as possible”, he said.
“Unfortunately, not a single government official had visited this village to help the distressed farmers or provide guidance in resolving their problems”, he added.
According to official sources, a whopping 1.78 lakh hectare land in nine districts in western Odisha have been damaged by massive pest attack. In last ten days, nine farmers have ended their lives over crop loss due to pest attack.