Chashi Suraksha Abhiyan convenor Rabi Rath on Friday alleged that Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Surjya Narayan Patro is attempting to make miller-farmer relationship bitter after his department failed to procure paddy from peasants in Ganjam district.
“Even as the State Government had assured to procure paddy from all the farmers, Mandis have not been created adequately. While a target was set to register 1.75 lakh farmers, only 1.05 lakh peasants have been enrolled by now. As a consequence, 200 trucks of paddy are being transported to Andhra Pradesh daily. Ganjam farmers have already suffered loss of Rs 20 crore,” alleged Ratha.
He said that Minister Patro recently abused millers and threatened them to send them to jail only to cover up inefficiencies of the officials of the department. “The Minister’s behaviour is creating a complex situation. While millers have not started procuring paddy, many have decided to approach the court against the Government decision. The farmers will suffer a lot because of the ongoing quarrel between the Government and the millers,” he pointed out.
He demanded Government officers and millers sit together to sort out differences so that farmers would not be affected.