JAGATSINGHPUR: Hundreds of paddy farmers will be deprived of claims under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) despite facing crop loss due to the recent floods.
As per PMFBY norms, farmers are not entitled to insurance if their crops are inundated within one month of transplantation. Besides, farmers will not be able to get any compensation from the State Government as the crop damage is less than 33 per cent.
Sources said standing paddy crops in Jagatsinghpur, Raghunathpur, Biridi, Balikuda, Naugaon and Erasama blocks suffered 50 per cent to 100 per cent damage due to heavy rainfall in the kharif season. In Tirtol and Kujang blocks, both paddy and vegetable crops were damaged due to heavy rains and floods.
During the survey to assess crop loss, the Agriculture department found that paddy crops over 26,184 hectare (ha) have been affected by both rains and flood in the eight blocks.
In another joint survey conducted later by the Agriculture and Revenue officials, it was found that paddy over 19,125 ha suffered damage. Of the 19,125 ha, crops over 12,851 ha faced damage above 33 per cent and the farmers who suffered loss will get compensation of Rs 13,500 per ha of irrigated land and Rs 6,800 per ha of rain-fed land as per the relief code of Special Relief Commissioner. The remaining farmers who suffered less than 33 per cent crop loss will be left out of the benefits.
Many farmers alleged that the district authorities conducted faulty assessment of crop loss. Without visiting the affected agriculture fields, the officials have shown less than 33 per cent crop damage on thousands of hectares in this district, claimed Surayamani Das, a farmer.
Bharat Swain of Khosalpur village in Kujang block said, “I have cultivated paddy over nearly 15 acre which has been damaged in the floods. Despite suffering a loss of lakhs of rupees, now I am being told that I will be not be getting compensation under PMFBY as the damage to crops happened within one month of transplanting.”
Chief district agriculture officer Rabinarayan Mohapatra admitted that many flood affected farmers will be deprived of compensation under PMFBY as their standing crop was damaged within one month of transplantation. However, they will be benefited from other schemes as per relief code, he added.