New Delhi: The Odisha chief minister,Naveen Patnaik, Tuesday came down heavily on the Modi government at the Centre for its anti- farmer and anti-Odisha policies.
Addressing the Krushak Adhikar Samabesh, organised by his BJD party here at the Talkatora stadium Patnaik said the BJP party has forgotten its promises made in 2014 general elections.
Pointing out that the state assembly has passed an unanimous resolution demanding a hike in MSP prices for paddy, the BJD supremo said BJP-led NDA government has not paying attention towards materialising this demand of the state.
“The BJP had promised to implement the Swaminathan Committee recommendation for fixing the MSP of food grains,” he said adding, ” The Centre can’t shed its responsibility as MSP is in the domain of the government of India.”
The ruling BJD is demanding Rs 2930 per quintal of paddy as against the Centre’s recommended MSP Rs 1750.
Claiming that his government is fulfilling all the promises it made by the BJD party during the elections, Patnaik said that farmers in the state are in the focus of the government.
“We had promised to irrigate 10 lakh hectares of farmland in the last five years and we are almost completely done. In the last 4.5 years, we have spent Rs 30,000 crores on Agriculture. As you can see, we make promises and we keep those promises,” the chief minister pointed ou.
Patnaik reiterated his demand for fiscal autonomy for the state. “Had the financial autonomy been granted to Odisha, our farmers wouldn’t have agitated in the national capital,” he added.
Thousands of farmers participated in the Krushak Adikhar Samabesh, organised by BJD at Talkotara Stadium, here on Tuesday. The ruling BJD has organised the farmers rally at New Delhi to press for its demands.
