BARGARH: Demonetisation has hit paddy farmers of the district hard. While they have already sold their produce through market yards of Regulated Market Committee (RMC), the farmers are yet to get their dues. Apparently, the Sambalpur District Central Co-operative Bank (SDCCB) does not have sufficient cash to pay them.
Even as hundreds of farmers queue up outside the bank everyday with their passbooks hoping for payment, they have to return dejected as the bank does not get adequate funds. Each branch of the SDCCB receives ` 20 lakh daily for payment to farmers. However, the amount is too little considering the large number of farmers who have sold their paddy.
Consider this: There are 10,000 depositors under SDCCB, Godbhaga branch who are farmers. Sources said the branch alone makes payment of about `1 crore daily to farmers during paddy harvesting season. Against `1 crore, the branch is now receiving `20 lakh only. Branch Manager of SDCCB, Godbhaga branch, Srikrushna Padhi expressed his helplessness. “Whatever cash we get is disbursed among the farmers on first come first serve basis,” he said, adding that the `20 lakh received by them is distributed among 80 to 85 farmers daily.