BHUBANESWAR: Opposition Congress on Friday came down heavily on the State Government over suicides of farmers in the State and accused the Naveen Patnaik-led dispensation of being indifferent to their plight. The issue cropped up during discussion on admissibility of an adjournment motion in which no BJP members participated as they were protesting in the well against the passage of supplementary budget in the House without discussion.
Initiating the debate, Leader of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) Narasingh Mishra sought a report from the State Government over farmer suicides. At least four farmers have committed suicide in July due to crop loss and debt burden, he said.The Congress leader alleged that four farmers in Balangir, Bargarh, Balasore and Jagatsinghpur committed suicide as scanty rainfall in led to huge crop loss. The incidents of suicide are on rise in the State as the Government failed to provide irrigation facilities, he said.
Making a statement in response, Agriculture Minister Arun Kumar Sahu, however, dismissed allegations of suicide by farmers due to crop loss. “It is a fact that the farmers have committed suicide. But the reason is something else and not related to agricultural activities,” he said.Mishra, however, maintained that both the Centre and the State Government have not taken any steps to solve problems faced by farmers. “What will a poor farmer do after crop loss? They are already burdened by debts and loans,” he said.
Referring to the statement of BJD MP Prasanna Acharya in which he admitted in Rajya Sabha that farmers in the State committed suicide due to crop loss and loan burden, Mishra said the Minister of the same party in Odisha claims otherwise in the Assembly. “Is it not double standard on the part of BJD?,” he questioned.
Mishra also criticised the BJP Government at the Centre for not fulfilling promises made to farmers. “Before 2014 General Elections, the BJP had announced that farmers will get 1.5 times more than the cost of production. This promise has not been fulfilled,” he added.