With farmers committing suicide allegedly due to crop loss and debt-related issues resurfacing across Odisha in the recent past, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked the Centre and State to furnish Action Taken Reports (ATRs) within six weeks to arrest the disturbing trend.

The apex rights panel, taking cognizance of human rights lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy plea, asked both the state and Central agencies to ensure steps for the amelioration of farmers’ woes in the state.

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It may be recalled here that a series of deaths of farmers mostly due to crop loss and loan repayment issues had hogged the spotlight a unseasonal rains in Odisha in December had aggravated their miseries, with ten deaths reported from different parts of the State from December 25, 2024 till January 4, 2025.

In the line of fire for alleged insensitivity towards farmers’ plight, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on 3 January declared the unseasonal rain in December 2024 a natural calamity. The government’s
announcement was intended to facilitate the disbursement of compensation to farmers for crop damage due to the untimely weather event from the state disaster response fund (SDRF).

A petition filed in this regard by Tripathy alleged that delay in assessment of crop loss and payment of compensation are the main causes of the farmer suicides. It sought an intervention of the Commission and an independent national inquiry on the death cases across the country, prompt and effective implementation of the farmer’s welfare schemes, MSP like mechanisms, mental health and counseling services etc.

“Let a copy of the complaint be transmitted to the secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, the chief secretary, government of Odisha, and the director general, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, government of India, through online mode, to ensure the needful actions and submit their action taken reports, including monetary and other reliefs paid to the victim’s family, within six weeks”, the Commission stated in the order.

It is requested that an Action Taken Report (ATR) be sent to the Commission within six weeks from the date of receipt of this letter, the order concluded.