BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday reiterated his government’s commitment to purchase all paddy from every registered farmer in the state.
Replying to the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address in the Assembly amidst walkout by Opposition BJD and Congress members, the chief minister announced that not a single annadata (farmer) will be deprived of paddy procurement. This has also been stated by the Governor in his address to the House on Tuesday, he said.
Responding to the allegations of large-scale mismanagement of paddy procurement across districts and the disruption of Assembly proceedings by the Opposition on the issue, Majhi said procurement of 90 per cent of the additional target fixed for districts like Bargarh, Nuapada, Sambalpur and Subarnapur have been completed. He asked the Opposition MLAs to visit the mandis and find out the facts for themselves. “I have all data, but I don’t want to embarrass them. The government is in action mode to give justice to the farmers,” he said.
The chief minister added, in the 2025-26 kharif season, more than 13.91 lakh farmers sold 59 lakh quintal paddy to the government. “This does not show administrative disinterest towards farmers, but points towards the government’s commitment which has strengthened the rural economy,” he said.
Majhi said infrastructure development has assumed pace and scale under his government. “
Railway projects worth Rs 90,000 crore are under implementation. The state government has also fixed target to construct 75,000 km-long world-class roads during the next five years. The Opposition is not able to visualise the growth story of Odisha,” he said.
Stating that the steps taken by the government for women’s empowerment is unparalleled, he said more than one crore women are benefitting from the Rs 10,000 cash assistance provided to them every year under Subhadra Yojana. “This government has worked to bring administrative reforms from day one. I am also not a politician who gives one line answers to questions on the secretariat stairs or at the residence. Our government is the people’s government which is always trying to solve their problems,” he asserted.
Earlier, the Opposition members created ruckus in the House from the beginning of the question hour over the farmers’ issues. Speaker Surama Padhy adjourned the House first till 11.30 am and then up to 4 pm as Opposition members continued sloganeering in the well of the House.