The Congress here took out a rally on Thursday demanding proper implementation of Government policies and programmes.
The party workers gheraoed the Collectorate and submitted a memorandum with a seven- point charter of demands, addressed to the President of India.
Senior Congress leader Bhakta Charan Das told the mediapersons that farmers are the backbone of the country and priority should be given to them by the State Government.
Das demanded to hike the paddy MSP from Rs 1,815 to Rs 2,500 a quintal and said that the farmers would take to the streets in Kalahandi in the coming days due to prolonged apathy of the State Government.
“While the Chhattisgarh Government can pay Rs 2,500 per quintal, why cannot Odisha pay the same amount to the farmers,” Das questioned.
Das said the Chhattisgarh Government does not want to harass the farmers in its own State for which it has sealed nine check points, sharing Odisha border.
“The Odisha Government has forced the farmers to sell paddy through middlemen in Chhatisgarh because they are getting benefit of Rs 500-700 a quintal,” he told.
Das also raised the issue of banking sector which has collapsed in the country. The memorandum included price control of onion and other vegetables, hike in petrol price, employment to the unemployed youths, improvement of health and education, besides connecting of train lines to backward areas like Kalahandi.