By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, September 23, 2016 : Farmers in western Odisha on Friday took out massive rally protesting the state government’s ‘anti-farmer policy’.

Farmers in Sadar Block in Kalahandi district took out rally demanding the State government to announce their region drought-hit while peasants in Bargarh district have sought payment of pending crop insurance and bonus for paddy crop.

Farmers in groups under the banner of Kalahandi Kissan Khet Mazdoor Congress took out a rally from Town Hall in Sadar Block and gheraoed office of the Block Development Officer (BDO) for not paying attention to their issues. They demanded that drought assistance package for the farmers should be disbursed immediately.

“When almost six months have passed, why the government is taking so much time to give us our pending crop insurance amount?” asked association president Sachidananda Mahakud.

“The government must announce our Block as completely drought-hit and pay the crop insurance amount as early as possible,” he noted. The farmers’ body too handed over a memorandum to the BDO addressed to governor.

Similarly, Regional Farmers Association in Bargarh has demanded that due to scanty rainfall in the current rainy season the district must be declared drought-hit. Besides it urged the government to pay previous year’s crop insurance to farmers.

Seeking early fulfillment of their demands the agitating farmers had resorted to road blockade at Sohela. The situation returned to normal after police intervention.