Sirsa farmers seek insurance payouts, procurement probe

Farmers in the district have raised concerns over unpaid crop insurance claims, delayed compensation and alleged irregularities in rice procurement. Addressing a gathering at Faggu village, Lakhwinder Singh Aulakh, state head of the Bharatiya Kisan Ekta (BKE), said poor government policies had worsened farmers’ conditions, leaving many trapped in debt to banks and moneylenders.

“The kharif 2025 crops were severely damaged due to heavy rains, waterlogging, and floods,” Aulakh said. “Farmers who insured their crops under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) have still not received their claims, while those without insurance have not been compensated for their losses.”

He also highlighted pending dues from kharif 2020. “Several farmers, including those from Faggu, have not received payments held for months by the State Bank of India in Kalanwali,” he said.

Aulakh alleged that the farmers in Faggu were cheated during paddy procurement at local markets. “Grain was under-weighed by up to 20 kilograms per quintal under the pretext of moisture content. Officials from the market committee, warehouse managers, and rice mill owners were involved,” he said. A committee investigating the incident has already been provided with evidence, but no legal action has yet been taken, he added.

He urged the district administration to act swiftly and file cases against those responsible.

The farmers also complained about new government regulations requiring biometric verification and vehicle registration details for crop sales through the “Meri Fasal Mera Byora” portal. Aulakh said many farmers could not complete registration and called for the portal to be reopened to allow all growers to register and sell their crops.

He demanded that the Haryana Government purchase all eligible crops at the minimum support price (MSP) without conditions.