The Congress leader demands Rs 20 lakh ex-gratia to each family of deceased farmer and compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre of crop loss
Bhubaneswar, Dec 2: Opposition Congress and BJP Wednesday cornered the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) over the spate of farmer suicides in the state and alleged that the drought coupled with ‘betrayal’ by the state government forced several farmers to commit suicide.
Claiming that around 141 farmers committed suicide in a span of less than one year, Leader of Opposition Narsingh Mishra dubbed the report of district collectors ‘false’. “It is not drought alone which caused death of farmers, but the state government’s betrayal to the community forced them to commit suicide,” Mishra said. He moved a motion on the farmer suicides for its discussion on the floor of the house.
Mishra said the state government in 2006 had promised to provide irrigation facilities to at least 35 per cent of cultivable land in each block. That promise has failed, he alleged.
Further, the state government in 2014 promised to provide crop loan to small and marginal farmers at one per cent interest. “This was also not realised. Not a single farmer in the state has got the benefit of loans at one per cent so far,” the LoP claimed.
Rejecting the state government’s claim that no farmer committed suicide due to crop failure and debt burden, LoP said he had inquired the matter personally. Mishra also alleged that the district collectors’ inquiry reports on farmer suicides were false. “Let us set up a house committee to inquire about the cause of farmer deaths or a judicial panel to verify the reasons behind peasants’ deaths,” he said.
Mishra suggested an all-party panel in each district and a long term action plan to boost confidence of farmers and discourage them from committing suicide. The Congress leader also demanded Rs 20 lakh ex-gratia to every deceased farmer’s family and a compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre of crop loss.
BJP members also termed the government report on farmer suicides false and demanded an independent probe.
Meanwhile, cooperation minister Damodar Rout and agriculture minister Pradeep Maharathy refuted the allegations of Mishra. Rout said as per the statistics of National Crime Bureau record only 0.3 per cent farmers in Orissa commits suicide and the reasons also varied. He said plight of farmers is on the rise due to various issues which needs to be addressed at the earliest.
As many as 8.12 lakh acres of agriculture land are drought-hit and in 6.31 lakh acres agriculture has suffered 33 pc and above crop loss.
Rout said steps are being taken to provide loans to farmers at 1 per cent interest rate.
