Farmers urge COPE to probe Fund

The All-Island Federation of Farmers (AIFF) National Organiser Namal Karunaratne has called upon the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) to investigate the misappropriation of the Crop & Loan Protection Fund meant to pay farmers for crop damage.

He said the Plantation Tax Fund created in 2013, under the National Insurance Trust Fund, had been misappropriated.

Mr Karunaratne added that the Fund which had not been used for years, had Rs 60 mil- lion, but only Rs 15 million remained now.

He said the Fund was created consequent to a series of farmer protests requesting a fund to insure crops.

He also said that, the COPE should look into allegations that, farmers who should be paid Rs 10,000 a month if their crops are damaged, are recently, receiving Rs 1,350 less, on the grounds that they were being re-insured.

He said they have requested the COPE to investigate the matter and will get the issue raised in Parliament.