See how the DM (collector of Bargrh Dist. Odisha / Orissa ) behaved and asked his assistant to seize and break my camera when I tried to record video of a group of farmers demanding last years crop loss help declared by govt. Till day most of the surveyed areas have not recieved the declared "HELP" of govt.
This happened on 23rd March this year, and I was subsequently threatened by his assistant about dire consequences and told that things with me will not be good. A protest rally by about a thousand people was being held outside the DMs office, and still the H'ble (?) DM asked me to be kicked out of his (? is he not a public servant ?) office. I was attacked by his assistant while trying to save my camera and footage.
I was rescued by the farmers when they heard the noise outside the office, came running. Below is the facts I have been able to collect in last few months study. If the administrative head of a Dist. behaves likes this, in his PUBLIC office, what is expected from this colonial feudal democracy ?
The video of the rally held against last year's massive crop loss due to un--seasonal rain and insurance demand.
Till now there has not been any payments inspite of govt.s big promises of Rs. 4000/- per hector (2.5 acres) max even if you have cultivated 10 acres.
Expenses in Paddy cultivation is more than Rs.10000/- per acre. Land owning Farmers are taking loan from banks/ cooperatives. But landless farmers (share croppers) can not avail the same, and have to borrow from the local seed/ fertilizer seller @ 5% per month to 10% per month interest rate.
That comes to about 60 - 120% rate of interest p.a.
Micro-finance companies are lending @ 36% (on paper it is 12.5%) to the SHG members. In my study I am finding many of the suicide cases are due to this hefty interest rates and complete crop loss of last season.
A recent calculation of a suicide affected family from Jada village in Bargarh dist. I found that for their 3 acres of land which is distributed at 3 different places, had to spend about Rs.40,000/- and will yeild about 75 -80 bags of rice of 75kgs each.
The Father and son duo committed suicide due to crop loss and subsequent debt. last year.
There is a joint family of about 8 people, and the only male member in the family is about 18 years suffering from joint pain in left leg.
Their total earnings from the current crop will be about 55000/- and there is also another society loan of 20,500 + interests.
So their net profit from this crop will be 55000 - (40000 + 20500) = ?? please calculate.
This is the condition of agriculture in this country - that is why more or less all farmers are moving away from cultivation. The land owners are giving away their land to landless labours for share cropping. The benefit goes to the official record holders, but any kind of loss is borne by the share cropper. He has to pay the share (about 8 - 10 standard bags per acre) to the landlord.
Agricultural officers seldom visit the fields of such small farmers. Insurance is nothing but a govt. organised farce. As per the insurance prevailing, unless an entire block's crop is damaged, insurance can not be claimed.
So there is no insurance for a farmer, who has lost all due to nature's might. But farmers in Odisha have been paying insurance premiums since last 24- 25 years.
There is not a single instance where crop insurance has been paid.
After a harvest, there comes the selling of paddy, which is being controlled by mill owners. The MSP (minimum support price) of FAQ (fine average quality) paddy is Rs.1000/- per quintal (750 per standard bag) . But on ground few farmers in Bargarh and Sambalpur do get this price, being alert and able to fight the system.
Rest is sold at under-rate of about 550 or lesser in remote areas, where middle men control the paddy business. So unless a farmer gets more than 35 bags of FAQ rice from 1 acre, then it is a loss for him. If there is any natural calamity like pest attack/ rains/ hail storm or strong wind in which crop gets destroyed, all his past savings if made goes down the drain.
An individual farmer is not entitled to avail insurance. Why such a faulty policy ? Is he not a consumer of the Insurance Business of the nation ? Have not the farmers paid insurance premiums while taking loans from the banks ?
The chronic poverty of farmers is being caused by the faulty agricultural policy of the state and gradually farmers are going poorer. Many good farmers have sold out their agricultural land or have left cultivating themselves and given to share croppers.
Besides the above stated, there is health and social reasons which a farmer's family is prone to : marriageable daughters, and any kind of major health problem.
These are not covered under any kind of insurance. Daughters marriage is a big burden in a family being the Dowry associated with it.
Also the govt. apathy is that when someone commits suicide from poor family, a 10000/- Rs redcross fund is allocated to the family. But many instances, the police, doctor and block officials ask for some bribe or delay the relief amount. In some cases which I met the families, told that it took numerous visits to various officials, and after 4 - 6 months only they were able to get a suicide compensation of Rs.10000/- for a person who was head of the family.
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