BHUBANESWAR: Assembly on Friday witnessed noisy scenes and had to be adjourned twice due to protest by opposition Congress and BJP members over the Government’s paddy procurement policy.
While Labour Minister Sushant Singh had announced on Thursday that the centralised token system will not be applicable to farmers in Bargarh and Sambalpur districts, Government Chief Whip Pramilla Mallick described it as personal views of the Minister.
Raising the issue as soon as the question hour was over, the Opposition members demanded a statement from Minister for Food Supply and Consumer Welfare Ranendra Pratap Swain in this regard. Referring to the assurance given by Labour Minister Sushant Singh to the agitating farmers at Bareipalli in Sambalpur district that the centralised token system will be relaxed in Hirakud Command area, Leader of the Opposition Pradipta Kumar Naik said the Minister should clarify the issue in the House. “Will the Minister’s announcement be applicable to the entire State,” he asked.
The Labour Minister had rushed to Bareipalli with deputy government chief whip Rohit Pujari on Thursday where the farmers of Sambalpur and Bargarh districts were agitating and announced that the farmers can sell their paddy without the centralised token in the State-run market yards.
Senior BJP member Jayanarayan Mishra had also criticised the Government for making policy announcements outside the Assembly when the session is on. Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Narasingh Mishra criticised the Government for adopting two policies for paddy procurement. “How the Government will have one policy for the farmers of Sambalpur and Bargarh districts and another for the rest districts? Will the farmers of Kalahandi and Balangir also enjoy the same facility given to the farmers of Hirakud command area,” he asked.
The Government chief whip Pramilla Mallick said relaxation for farmers in Hirakud command area may be personal views of the Labour Minister and deputy chief whip. “Both of them have not come to the House. I can only say that they were sent to Sambalpur and Bargarh by the party or the government,” she said.
Demanding a statement from the Government, the opposition members rushed to the well of the House and shouted slogans. “The Minister concerned does not know what the other minister decides on the paddy procurement policy,” said Santosh Singh Saluja of Congress.
Unable to run the House, Speaker Surya Narayan Patro adjourned it twice. He asked the Minister to make a statement in the House on the issue after proceedings resumed. “I will collect facts and inform the House about it (change in the paddy procurement policy),” Swain said.