Opposition Congress and BJP on Friday took a dig at the State Government over the drought situation in the State and demanded Rs10 lakh compensation to the family of each farmer who has committed suicide recently due to crop loss and loan burden.
Terming the drought package recently announced by the State Government just an eyewash and old wine in new bottle, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Prasad Harichandan told reporters here, “Whatever the Chief Minister announced is nothing new. The category of ex-gratia as mentioned in the drought package was already prescribed by the Central Government in April this year in which items and norms of assistance from the SDRF and the NDRF for the period of 2015-20 were mentioned.”
He also alleged that the report prepared by the Government over drought is misleading and demanded that the Chief Minister lead an all-party delegation to the Prime Minister to press for a special drought package soon.
“We demand a Rs 20,000-per-hectare compensation to the farmers in drought-affected areas and disbursal of loans to them at zero or one-per cent interest and Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the family of each farmer who ended his life due to crop loss,” Harichandan added.
The BJP too backed the Congress over the natural disaster and farmer suicide cases and batted for a permanent solution to drought. Senior party leader Biswabhushan Harichandan at a Press conference here said the Government should immediately disburse Rs 10 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund as compensation to the family of every farmer who has committed suicide.
“The distressed farmers’ families need action and compensation, not sympathy,” he said.
“Seeds, fertilisers and loans should be provided for Rabi crop and the existing loans should be waived,” he demanded.
He also demanded an all-party meeting to discuss the drought situation elaborately.
Maintaining that the distressed farmers would never get the assictance as announced by the Government, BJP State president KV Singh Deo pointed out that the Government is yet to ensure aid to the Hudhud and Phailin cyclone victims.
Both the BJP and the Congress also reiterated their demand for publication of a Whitepaper on drought.