Samajwadi Party State committee has requested President of India Pranab Mukherjee to give a special package of Rs 1,000 crore to combat drought in Odisha. The party also demanded low interest rate for agricultural loans to help the farming community of the State.
The party said that eight districts have received deficient and scanty rainfall for which kharif crop is at peril and a drought like condition is looming large in the State. As Odisha lacks assured irrigation in about 70 per cent of cultivable land, there is every possibility that this year’s drought will accelerate farmers’ suicide and will encourage large scale migration, the party added.
In the eight-point charter of demands, the party also raised the issue of special category status to Odisha and special fund for Nabakalebar of lord Jagannath.