Bhubaneswar, Nov 25 (PTI) Proceedings in the Odisha Assembly were adjourned multiple times on Friday as members of both treasury and opposition benches created a ruckus in the House over agricultural issues, including farmers’ distress and delay in crop insurance and subsidy payments.
The opposition Congress and BJP members were in the well of the House even before the beginning of Question Hour at 10.30 a.m. and shouted slogans against the BJD dispensation for adopting “anti-farmer” approaches.
Some of the opposition MLAs made attempts to climb the Speaker’s podium, while the ruling BJD legislators also rushed to the well of the House, leading to a face-off.
The pandemonium forced the Speaker to adjourn the House for one hour till 11.30 am.
Later, the proceedings were adjourned at least thrice as the fight over farmers’ issues echoed in the House, and even an all-party meeting failed to resolve the matter.
Amid noisy scenes and multiple adjournments, the proceedings in the House lasted for only 12 minutes.
The opposition members accused the BJD dispensation of being “anti-farmer” and “delaying” crop insurance payment and input subsidy, while the state’s ruling party MLAs blamed the BJP-led central government for “not hiking the minimum support price for paddy and not implementing the recommendations of the MS Swaminathan Committee for raising farmers’ income”.
Farmers’ hardship due to “inadequate price for their produce and several other problems in the agrarian sector were also raised outside the House.
As the House remained adjourned for most of the time on the second day of the winter session, members of the ruling Biju Janata Dal staged a sit-in near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi on the Assembly premises, demanding a hike in minimum support price for paddy by the central government.
The treasury bench members later marched to Raj Bhavan and submitted a memorandum to the governor, demanding Rs 2,930 per quintal as MSP for paddy.
The BJP members also held a dharna in another place on the Assembly premises and highlighted the state government’s “failure” in assisting farmers at an appropriate time.
They too marched to Raj Bhavan and submitted another memorandum there.
Farmers’ problems have emerged as major political issues ahead of the December 5 by-poll to the Padampur assembly constituency.
All the major parties, such as the BJD, BJP and the Congress, have been trying to champion agrarian issues.
“Such issues should be resolved by formulating legislation immediately in the Assembly,” Congress Legislature Party leader Narasingha Mishra said.
The state unit of BJP has been demonstrating in front of the Assembly for the last eight days for the “delay in payment of input subsidy to drought-hit farmers across Odisha and Padmapaur as well.
While both the BJD and BJP members were raising the farmers’ issues to target each other, the Congress blamed both parties for “not paying any attention to the cultivators’ demands”.
“Farmers of the state, especially western Odisha, are yet to get input subsidy for the crop loss due to drought. Owing to nexus among some millers and government officials, there are irregularities in paddy procurement,” BJP chief whip Mohan Majhi alleged.
Congress MLA Santosh Singh Saluja said both the state government and the Centre are responsible for the delay in the disbursement of crop insurance claims to the drought-hit farmers.
BJD member and Revenue Minister Pramila Mallik criticised the central government, alleging that there was “misappropriation of funds under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.
Veteran Congress leader Narasingha Mishra said, “It seems that BJD, Congress, BJP and CPI (M) members are equally worried over the farmers’ issues. I call upon the chief minister and the leader of the House to convene an all-party meeting to enact a new law to punish those responsible for farmers’ distress.” PTI AAM BDC BDC
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Source: The Print
