ROURKELA: In a bid to counter the BJP’s attack over electricity tariff hike in the State, the ruling BJD on Tuesday staged protest in front of the FCI Godown here alleging ‘anti-farmer’ policies of the NDA government at the centre.
Senior BJD leaders from across the district led by Sukinda MLA and the party’s observer for Sundargarh Pritiranjan Ghadei also submitted a memorandum addressed to President Ram Nath Kovind through Rourkela ADM Dibyajyoti Parida.
Accusing the Centre of showing step-motherly attitude towards Odisha, Ghadei said the BJP-led NDA government is causing harm to the farm sector with its anti-farmer policies. In the memorandum, the BJD demanded immediate release of the pending food subsidy of Rs 4,883.55 crore.
The delay in payment has been creating huge financial pressure on the Civil Supplies Corporation in Odisha, the paddy procurement agency, Ghadei said.
Besides, BJD also demanded immediate lifting of rice from Odisha as there is a little space left for storage in the State government’s godowns and mills. In absence of storage space, the foodgrains might get damaged. The ruling party also insisted on addressing the shortage of gunny bags besides safe storage and dispatch of rice.
Ghadei said the Naveen Patnaik government in Odisha has taken multiple steps including expansion of irrigation facilities for benefit of the farmers and enhancing their income. However, the farmers are suffering due to faulty policies of the Centre, he claimed.
Among others, Rourkela MLA Sarada Prasad Nayak, BJD’s Sundargarh unit president Binay Toppo and former legislators Mangla Kisan and Yogesh Singh were part of the protest.
On the other hand, the BJP led by its Panposh unit president Latika Patnaik staged protest before the office of superintending engineer of Tata Power Western Odisha Distribution Ltd demanding rollback of power tariff hike. The BJP leader also demanded uninterrupted power supply along with subsidy to farmers and cold storages.
Party stages demo before FCI
The Bhubaneswar district BJD on Tuesday staged a dharna in front of the regional headquarters of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) protesting delay in pending subsidy amount and refusal by the FCI to lift parboiled rice from the State.
President of the BJD Bhubaneswar district and Bhubaneswar (North) MLA Sushanta Kumar Rout targeted the Centre over the issue and demanded that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) on paddy should also be increased to Rs 2930 per quintal as the State Assembly had adopted an unanimous resolution in this regard.
Chairman of the Khurda District Planning Board Prashant Jagdev warned that the BJD will continue to agitate over the issue till the demands are fulfilled by the Centre. Several senior BJD leaders participated in the dharna.