BHUBANESWAR: BJD on Tuesday staged a demonstration in front of Raj Bhavan here as part of its three-day agitation against the Centre’s decision to stop the free food programme under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) and a huge cut in allocation for paddy procurement in the 2023-24 Union Budget.
A large number of BJD workers including almost all the ministers and MLAs of the party joined the demonstration holding placards and banners protesting the Centre’s move. Talking to mediapersons, senior vice-president of the BJD Debi Prasad Mishra demanded immediate restoration of the PMGKAY in its original form and increase allocation for paddy procurement.
A delegation of BJD leaders submitted a memorandum to the President of India through the Governor including the two demands. “We demand that PMGKAY should be continued as it affects 3.25 crore population as well as lakhs of farmers in Odisha,” he added.
The BJD said that though the Covid-19 situation has improved, the poor people are still reeling under the impact of the pandemic. Besides, budgetary allocation for paddy procurement will cover only one district of the state, it added.
Protests will be held by the party at gram panchayat headquarters in all 30 districts on Wednesday. Besides, BJD will demonstrate in front of collectorates and block offices across the state on Thursday, he added.