Balasore: Hundreds of farmers who have not received insurance claims against their crop loss in Remuna block of Balasore sought intervention of Collector K Sudarshan Chakaraborty Wednesday.
The farmers, affiliated to Durgadevi Cooperative Society, alleged that they had drawn attention of the Collector, the secretary and the officials of the Balasore Bhadrak Central Cooperative Society several times in the past, seeking clearance of their insurance claims.
Reports said, 458 farmers usually take and pay off loans through the cooperative society of the Remuna branch. During the release of loans, premiums for crop insurance are deducted from the amount.
The farmers had suffered crop loss in 2018-19. The insurance company concerned has deposited the amount claimed by farmers at the BCCB. The money has also been transferred to the Remuna branch of BCCB too, the farmers said.
“But the manager has been giving various excuses and avoiding to pay it to farmers,” alleged Sashidhar Dwivedy, the president of the Durgadevi Seva Samabay Sangh.
It may be noted here that in 2016, Manoj Ahuja, the then principal secretary of the Agriculture Department, had issued a directive to directly transfer the insurance claims into the accounts of the farmers.
Deputy Director of Agriculture Kailash Parida had also directed the banks to follow the guideline, but the Remuna branch of BCCB has thrown the directive to the winds, farmers alleged before the collector.
They also said that the branch manager sanctions the money (as deposited as insurance claims) in the form of loans.
Secretary of the BCCB, Ajit Patnaik, said, “I am well aware of the problem and the insurance claim will soon be credited into the accounts of the farmers.”
The collector said that action will be taken after an inquiry.
PNN