BJD Holds Protest Across Odisha Alleging Delay In Crop Insurance Payment To Farmers

Bhubaneswar: The BIju Janata Dal (BJD) staged demonstrations across Odisha on Monday alleging non-payment of claims to farmers of the state by insurance companies and blamed the BJP-led government at the centre for the delay.

Workers of the ruling party staged dharna near Raj Bhaven in Bhubaneswar as well as district collectorate and other government offices across the state demanding payment of crop insurance claims to the farmers for the kharif season of 2021 at the earliest.

BJD claimed that a large number of farmers are yet to get crop insurance money of kharif 2021 under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), a government sponsored crop insurance scheme.

The insurance companies are delaying the process of payment of around Rs 500 crore, according to BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty.

The state government had written two letters to the Centre seeking its intervention, but no concrete step has been taken so far, he alleged.

BJD women wing president Snehangini Chhuria said the Centre should ensure that farmers get crop insurance amount without much delay as PMFBY is a central government scheme.

Dubbing BJD’s protest as a gimmick to distract public attention from ‘cash for vote’ scandal in Dhamnagar Assembly bypoll, BJP state general secretary Prithiviraj Harichandan claimed that farmers are suffering as the state government flouted guidelines laid down for resolution of insurance issues.