Reiterating the party’s demand for a judicial probe into the farmer suicide cases, the BJP on Thursday sought to know whether the State Government has any policy to tackle such incidents.
“The State Government has already admitted that it has received reports of 43 farmers’ suicide cases, though unofficially the toll has reached 90. Has the Government any policy for the welfare of farmers’ community and also to check the rising incidents of suicidesIJ” asked senior party leader Biswabhusan Harichandan at a Press conference here.
Harichandan also asked the Government why it did not admit that farmers were committing suicide due to crop loss and loan burden.
“When will the State Government wake up from its slumberIJ Why has it not yet submitted a report to the Centre for assistance,” he further asked.
Accusing the Government of suppressing the suicide cases, he demanded a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of the deceased farmers.
“The Government is trying to suppress the matter. We ask the Government to waive agriculture loans and demand an inquiry into the number of organisations and banks which have provided loans to farmers,” said Harichandan.
“Water bodies and ponds should be renovated for Rabi crop. There is enough money in State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to take up renovation works,” he pointed out.
He also said the defunct lift irrigations should be renovated and emphasis should be given to construct more lift irrigation points. Party State president KV Singh Deo also targeted the Government for not submitting a report to the Centre at the earliest.