Bhubaneswar: Opposition BJP and Congress Tuesday slammed the BJD government in the Assembly for its failure to provide irrigation, timely supply of seeds, crop insurance money and distress sale of paddy.
The opposition leaders alleged the state government to be apathetic towards the problems of agriculture and the farmers of the state.
The Congress members later staged a walk out accusing the state government of making false promises and misleading the people to win the election.
Participating in a debate on the admissibility of an adjournment motion on the state government’s apathy towards the problems of farmers and agriculture, the opposition members said that the farmers are not getting right price for their produce and selling their produce in distress.
The government, they said, is more concerned about winning the elections than improving the condition of farmers and agriculture.
Congress legislature party leader Narasingha Mishra said that the state government had promised to bring 35 per cent land under irrigation in every block, free electricity and to establish the second agriculture university in KBK region but had not kept its promises during the last 19 years.
The government, he said had not set up a single major or medium irrigation project in the state during its rule and all those irrigation projects started during the Congress period had not yet been completed.
The farmers, Mishra alleged were not getting MSP of paddy and selling their produce at Rs 1200 per quintal against MSP of Rs 1750 per quintal.
The Congress leader said KALIA scheme launched by the government could not help the farmers to increase their production and make profit. He further added that barring a few, the farmers have not got their crop insurance money and asked the government to ensure that the farmers got their money at the earliest.
Mishra lamented that though although the farmers are committing suicide but the government was not admitting it.
His party colleague Tara Prasad Bahinipati said the production of potato and onion has reduced after the Potato Mission launched by the government and the area under ginger, cashew, mecca and turmeric in Koraput has declined due to the faulty policy of the state government.
(UNI)