“I have asked party MPs, MLAs and other leaders to meet farmers and address their issue”, said the Chief Minister. Government sources said the move will put an additional burden of around Rs 1300 crore annually on the government.
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The three Ministers who have been barred from the rally had made statements over the farmers’ suicides that had attracted serious criticism from the opposition Congress and BJP putting the government in a tight spot.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure adequate fund flows for rural jobs under MGNREGA for easing the suffering of people facing drought situation in the state.
The central government is providing crop loan to farmers at 7 percent of interest.
Stating that asking for financial assistance to deal with the situation without submitting any report to the Centre in this regard is unfortunate, Pradhan said that the Centre had reminded the State Government on this on Thursday and asked it to submit a memorandum. “Farmers are ending their lives because of its negligence and apathy”. “But the opposition only resorts to words and rhetoric, holding only press conferences and holding padayatras (marches) before TV cameras”, Patnaik said and asked the opposition to stop politicising the farmer issues.
Stating that the drought like situation is prevailing in 139 of the state’s 314 blocks, Patnaik said, “Also, an enabling provision may be made in the NREGA software to enable the state government to provide the extra incentives to the workers under MGNREGS in the state”.
Stating that Rs 8000 crore will be spent on irrigation, Naveen said the same would make the area free from drought.Naveen said Rs 1500 crore will be spent on irrigation in Bargarh district alone.
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Claiming that earnings from agriculture in the state had dwindled due to the BJD regime’s directionless farm policy, the white paper said a few years ago agriculture contributed 70 per cent of the GSDP, which has now nosedived to 12.33 per cent due to lack of proper policy and steps to promote the sector.
