Mar 08, Colombo: Farmers in Sri Lanka plan to initiate legal action to demand the re-payment of the farmers' pension that has been discontinued.

National Organizer of the All Ceylon Farmers' Federation, Namal Karunaratne said the association would take legal action in order to get the farmers' pension scheme back on track and to restore farmers' rights.

He explained that the government had paid the farmers' pension by getting them involved in the process through a written agreement.

The pension scheme is under the Agriculture Insurance Board, which is under the purview of the Finance Ministry, the representative said.

According to Karunaratne, the farmers' pension scheme has been discontinued since 2011.

The government should take measures to recommence the farmers' pension scheme and to pay the arrears as well, Karunaratne added.