BJP to corner BJD over farm issues
BHUBANESWAR: The BJP has lined up several issues, including farmers’ problems, drinking water crisis and deteriorating law and order in the State, to take on the ruling BJD during the Budget session of the Assembly, beginning March 20. Accusing the State Government of being insensitive to the problems of farmers, the BJP legislature party said the farmers who lost their kharif crops due to pest attacks and unseasonal rain are yet to get crop insurance.
At a meeting of the BJP legislators, senior leader and former minister KV Singhdeo slammed the State Government for its failure to provide input subsidy to the affected farmers. “The two relief packages announced by the State Government for the farmers following drought and pest attack failed to stop farmer suicides as the relief failed to reach the distressed. It shows that the Government is not at all serious about mitigating the plight of farmers hit by crop loss and debt burden,” said BJP MLA Pradip Purohit.
Claiming that drinking water crisis is becoming acute in many parts of the State, Purohit said the ruling BJD has not been able to provide safe drinking water to a vast majority of the rural people even after 18 years in power. Only two per cent of the total population of the State is covered under pipe water supply when the Government is making tall claims of development.
Alleging that PC (percentage) culture is all pervasive in the State, the BJP MLA said mining mafia in cahoots with BJD leaders are ruling the roost.Deteriorating law and order situation, atrocities on women and weaker sections of the societies, increasing unemployment, Kunduli gang rape case are the other issues the BJP will raise in the House. All the BJP MLAs, including party’s State unit president Basanta Panda, were present.