Even as the state government declared kharif cultivation as drought-hit following poor monsoon this season, farmers of the district reportedly stand to lose due to the faulty assessment of crop loss. On the other hand the insurance companies all set to make benefits from the situation, farmers alleged demanding immediate revision of the system. According to government norms, farmers who have incurred losses up to 33 per cent or more are entitled to get government assistance. But the rate of paddy production in Bargarh district has been assessed incorrectly, alleged Krushak Vikash Manch, a farmers’ outfit of Padmapur sub-division. The organisation submitted a memorandum to collector Anjan Kumar Manik addressed to the Chief Minister. The assessment has been made in such a way that it would serve the interest of the insurance companies, members of the outfit said, adding the farmers have been deprived of the benefits of the crop insurance for last many years. During current fiscal, the government has fixed paddy production rate taking the best six years of production during last 10 years into consideration. Special relief commissioner as well as the disaster management commissioner has approved the matter through a recent letter. According to new bench mark set by the commissioner, the rate of paddy production in Bargarh district has been set at 32.45 quintal per hectare while as per the old system it was 39.7 quintal. The old system fixed the rate of production taking the best three years of production of the last decade. According to the newly set bench mark, the production rate has come down from 25.06 quintal to 20.13 quintal In Paikamal block. Similarly, it has come down from 33.08 to 25.77 in Padmapur block, 30.95 to 27.93 in Gaisilet, 32 to 27.47 in Bijepur, 39.07 to 30.95 in Sohela, 40.08 to 28.76 in Jharbandh, 40 to 29.86 in Barapali, 53.07 to 43.64 in Bheden, 54.01 to 48.42 in Atabira, 47.09 to 36.78 in Bargarh, 36.01 to 30.85 in Bhatli and from 35 per quintal to 31.01 quintal per hectare in Ambabhona block. With this assessment, the affected farmers would not get the insurance amount and some of them would get peanuts in the name of crop loss insurance, a report said. The members of the Manch demanded scrapping of the new system and instead consider best three years of production in last 10 years to fix the production rate. Alternatively, 50 quintal per hectare can be set as the standard rate of production, the Manch advocated. The outfit would resort to agitation unless an early decision in this regard is taken by the authorities. A farmers’ delegation led by Manch’s president Jaykrushna Sahoo, secretary Kishore Chandra Debata and several other members met the collector in this regard. Source - http://www.orissapost.com