Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Government are making false promises to farmers only, alleged PCC president Niranjan Patnaik in a statement on Saturday.
“The BJP-led Government at the Cetnre has declared so many schemes for development of farmers but, practically, they are not reaching the ground line. Now, the monsoon has arrived in the entire Odisha as well as the country but no MSP has been announced for 24 major crops, as done by June first or second week usually. This has put the farmers in dilemma and the sowing acerage is around 10 per cent less than last year by this time,” alleged Patnaik.
Patnaik said while monsoon has covered the entire State 15 days before schedule, farmers are preparing their land for Kharif crops. Farmers will be at a loss as the MSP has not been announced yet. They are going to sow one crop and that does not get proper support price then definitely they would be unable to get back their input cost also, pointed out the PCC chief.
“The NITI Aayog has proposed that the fixing of MSP will be shifted to States. Also some private organizations will be allowed to procure directly from farmers. This way, the BJP Government at the Centre is trying to shift its responsibility,” he alleged further.
He demanded that the Central Government must announce the MSP at the earliest and Chief Minister put pressure on the Centre for the cause of the farmers at the earliest.