JEYPORE: Delay in the election of office-bearers of the Jeypore Regulated Market Committee (RMC) has hit farmers hard as all development and facilitation works have come to a standstill in the region. Election of office bearers has been waiting for the last seven years after the tenure of RMC body ended in 2013.
The last election was conducted in 2009. The RMC is the agency that facilitates the marketing and procurement of farmers produce in Jeypore, Kotpad, Borrigumma, Boipariguda and Kundra blocks and over 25,000 farmers are covered under it. It has been running 64 paddy mandis in Jeypore sub-division.
Although farmers have been demanding infrastructure, equipment for procurement and basic amenities at these mandis, the RMC members are unable to help them as they no longer hold the office. Many of the mandis even lack drinking water facility for farmers who come there for selling their paddy and some do not even have weight measures to weigh paddy. Unless new RMC office bearers are elected, no new steps can be initiated for the development of mandis, sources said. Sub-Collector of Jeypore is the president of the RMC but as he is occupied with administrative assignments, he is unable to look into RMC matters regularly. Meanwhile, farmers of Jeypore have appealed the Collector to intervene and conduct election to the RMC.