The State Assembly on Thursday passed demands of `5641,82,42,000 in respect of Expenditure relating to the Revenue and Disaster Management Department amid noisy scenes created over demand for discussion of farmer suicide issue and a walkout by Congress members.
While participating in the discussion on Demands for Grants, leader of Opposition termed the Revenue Department as nonfunctional and purposeless. He alleged that the department has practically failed to mitigate the problems of the drought-hit farmers in 2015 and 2016.
“Though farmers had insured their crops and compensation sanctioned, they have not yet received insurance money from banks due to apathetic attitude of the department,” alleged Mishra.
Stating that bore wells are drying up, Mishra too demanded that the Minister submit a reply as to what steps the Government has taken to contain possible droughts that may hit this year. He too lamented raising issues of sharecropper problems, farm land conversions and massive encroachment of Government lands.
The leader of Opposition spoke about an hour amid continuous sloganeering and thumping of the Speaker’s podium by BJP Members.
In his reply, Minister Bijayshree Routray said the Department would take steps to stop land grabbing and conversion problems. He said the Government is also taking measures for resolve sharecroppers’ problems.
As Mishra said his questions were not replied fully, the Minister said, “I could not listened to your hour-long speech due to noises.” Dissatisfied over Minister’s reply, Congress members staged a walkout. The demands were passed through voice votes.