Departmentally Related Standing Committee of Assembly visits

The Departmentally Related Standing Committee of Odisha Assembly today visited village Kendpali in Bargarh district and enquired into the alleged suicide of a farmer.
Khainu Bagarti (52), a farmer had committed suicide due to alleged crop loss and loan burden on February 28. The suicide had caused uproar in the state.
Subsequently, a proposal was adopted in March that the departmentally related standing committee-II of Odisha Legislative Assembly would visit village Kendpali to inquire into the suicide on May 9.
However, the team did not visit the village on the scheduled date which angered the farmers and they staged demonstration across the Western Odisha on September 7.

The team led by senior BJD MLA and former minister Pramila Mallick, included Debesh Acharya, Basanta Panda, Prafulla Pangi, Sukanta Naik and Muktikanta Mandal.
The team discussed with his family members of Bagarti. They also inquired with his family members about the reason behind the suicide of Khainu Bagarti.

The team members also discussed with the villagers. The villagers reportedly cited power failure, distress sale of vegetables, crop loss and loan burden as the reasons behind the suicide.
"We discussed with the widow of Khainu Bagarti. We also discussed with the villagers. We will place the report in the Assembly based on the situation at Bagarti's family and village and apprise the Chief Minister," Mallick told reporters.

State BJP president, Basanta Panda, who is a member of the team, said: "We discussed with Khainus widow, Kalabati, other family members and the villagers. They narrated the detail before the committee. The fact, they placed before the team, clearly indicated that Khainu committed suicide due to crop loss, power supply problem and loan burden. The Government should accept the fact. I will bring the matter to the notice of the chairperson of the committee."
Farmer leader, Hara Bania said: "We demand the Government to accept that farmers have committed suicide due to crop loss and loan burden and declare assistance for the farmers.