The Congress on Tuesday severely criticised the BJP Government at the Centre and the BJD Government in the State for failing to resolve farmers’ problems and announced to hold a mass farmers’ rally in Bhubanewar by December-end.
“The BJP had, in its election manifesto in 2014, promised to fix paddy MSP taking cost of production plus 50 per cent profit over the cost of production. But it has failed to provide the promised rate to farmers after remaining over three years in power. Similarly, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had announced a special package of Rs 1,000 crore at his Sohela meeting two years ago. But a single rupee has not been spent. Due to negligence of both the Governments, 130 farmers have committed suicide in the State,” PCC president Prasad Harichandan told a Press conference.
He demanded that the Union Government waive all loans taken by farmers of Odisha from nationalised banks and the State Government waive all farm loans disbursed by cooperative banks. He too demanded that the agriculture input subsidy be raised by Rs 5,000 for non-irrigated and Rs 7,500 for irrigated lands. Besides, he demanded that the State Government give special financial assistance of Rs 500 per quintal of paddy to affected farmers.
Speaking about party’s plans on the closure of Itishree Pradhan murder case and inaction on Kunduli gangrape case, Harichandan requested the two Union Ministers from the State, Dharmendra Pradhan and Jual Oram, should talk to the PM and reopen the Itishree Pradhan case.
On Kunduli case, he wanted to know why the police are not releasing the victim if she has not been raped. The State Government has completely failed in giving justice to the victim, he said and informed that party would hold a Jan Samavesh at Potanig in Koraput district on December 7.