The Biju Janta Dal (BJD) on Tuesday staged a dharna before the Food Corporation of Indi a (FCI) here protesting against the noncooperation of the Central Government in procuring rice through FCI and nonpayment of farmers’ dues.
Party workers under the leadership Bhubaneswar Organising district president and North-Bhubaneswar MLA Sushanta Rout led the rally to the FCI office and sat in dharna shouting slogans against the “step-motherly” attitude of the Modi Government. The BJD demanded that the Union Government immediately release the MSP dues of Rs 6,570 crore, procure the stocked 7 lakh MT of rice through the FCI and announce an enhanced paddy MSP of Rs 2,930. Earlier in the day, a BJD Parliamentary delegation met Union Minister for Food, Public Procurement and Consumer Affairs Piyush Goyal and submitted a memorandum to him demanding release of the pending food subsidy of Odisha, evacuation of the surplus rice through the FCI and supply of adequate gunny bags to the State. Goyal assured the delegation to consider the demands.