Bijepur: While political parties are campaigning for the upcoming Bijepur by-poll, hundreds of farmers, under the banner of Sohela Krushak Bikash Manch, staged a demonstration in front of the tehsil office here Monday.
The farmers protested against the delay in disbursement of insurance money and input subsidy, lack of irrigation and undervaluation of crops in the market.
According to sources, due to lack of irrigation facilities, the farmers had incurred huge crop loss this khariff season.
The farmers said 19,900 hectares of farmland were insured for this khariff season. However, crops in the entire 19,900 hectares got damaged due to lack of rain.
The farmers alleged the insurance company assessed their crop loss through satellite and paid insurance money for only 7,038 hectares.
In 2018-19, farmers of 23 gram panchayats were entitled to get insurance money based on the crop loss assessment report. However, farmers of nine panchayats are yet to get insurance money.
Head of the farmers’ outfit Binod Bihari Choudhry alleged that the farmers are yet to get input subsidy and damages for natural calamities during 2018 khariff season.
The farmers warned that they will extend their protest for an indefinite period if their demands are not fulfilled.
PNN