2 more farmers die in state; lens on exclusion of sharecroppers from aid | Bhubaneswar News
Kendrapada/Sambalpur: Death toll of farmers in the state due to crop loss and mounting debts rose to 10 within a fortnight as two more deaths were reported in Jagatsinghpur and Sambalpur districts, authorities said on Monday.
In Jagatsinghpur, Dharmananda Nayak (60), a sharecropper from Arakhakuda village under Rohia gram panchayat, died of cardiac arrest on Sunday evening. His wife Ahalya claimed he was distressed over damage to his ripe crops and the govt’s recent decision to exclude sharecroppers from seeking compensation. Nayak, who owned 20 decimals of land, had taken three acres on lease and obtained loans from agricultural societies and local moneylenders.
Additional district magistrate (Jagatsinghpur), Sambit Rout, said they have directed the Naugaon tehsildar to investigate Nayak’s death. Revenue and disaster management minister Suresh Pujari assured compensation for the insured farmers. “There is nothing to worry about. Natural disasters are common in Odisha. The govt will provide proportional compensation,” he said.
In another incident, Ratnakar Bhoi (58) from Bairagipali village in Sambalpur’s Jujumura block allegedly died by suicide on Thursday after consuming poison. Bhoi, who had borrowed Rs 1.05 lakh from various sources, was forced to sell his reduced harvest at Rs 1,600 per quintal against the govt’s MSP of Rs 2,300 and Rs 800 bonus. His son Paresh said the yield dropped to 50 bags from the usual 100 to 120 due to erratic rainfall and irrigation issues.
Sambalpur collector S B Bondar told TOI, “I have asked local officers to conduct an inquiry into the matter. A detailed report is awaited.”
As per preliminary findings, the family is a beneficiary of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, PM Awas Yojana and his wife is also a beneficiary of Subhadra Yojana, he added.
Farmer leader Bijay Parida criticised the govt’s agricultural policy, particularly highlighting its impact on sharecroppers who form a majority of cultivators in the district. Former minister Rohit Pujari expressed regret over the alleged indifference of BJP govt to immediate compensation needs of farmers.
In Jagatsinghpur, Dharmananda Nayak (60), a sharecropper from Arakhakuda village under Rohia gram panchayat, died of cardiac arrest on Sunday evening. His wife Ahalya claimed he was distressed over damage to his ripe crops and the govt’s recent decision to exclude sharecroppers from seeking compensation. Nayak, who owned 20 decimals of land, had taken three acres on lease and obtained loans from agricultural societies and local moneylenders.
Additional district magistrate (Jagatsinghpur), Sambit Rout, said they have directed the Naugaon tehsildar to investigate Nayak’s death. Revenue and disaster management minister Suresh Pujari assured compensation for the insured farmers. “There is nothing to worry about. Natural disasters are common in Odisha. The govt will provide proportional compensation,” he said.
In another incident, Ratnakar Bhoi (58) from Bairagipali village in Sambalpur’s Jujumura block allegedly died by suicide on Thursday after consuming poison. Bhoi, who had borrowed Rs 1.05 lakh from various sources, was forced to sell his reduced harvest at Rs 1,600 per quintal against the govt’s MSP of Rs 2,300 and Rs 800 bonus. His son Paresh said the yield dropped to 50 bags from the usual 100 to 120 due to erratic rainfall and irrigation issues.
Sambalpur collector S B Bondar told TOI, “I have asked local officers to conduct an inquiry into the matter. A detailed report is awaited.”
As per preliminary findings, the family is a beneficiary of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, PM Awas Yojana and his wife is also a beneficiary of Subhadra Yojana, he added.
Farmer leader Bijay Parida criticised the govt’s agricultural policy, particularly highlighting its impact on sharecroppers who form a majority of cultivators in the district. Former minister Rohit Pujari expressed regret over the alleged indifference of BJP govt to immediate compensation needs of farmers.
