Bhubaneswar: Amid a developing drought like situation in several districts, the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) came down heavily on the ruling party for what it said poor irrigation facility for agriculture.
The saffron party alleged that the state government has failed to ensure required irrigation facility to agricultural lands that led to an increase in farmers’ suicide cases in the state.
Hitting out at the BJD camp, saffron leader Bhrugu Buxipatra said the BJD government has failed to fulfill its promises in the fields of irrigation and agriculture in its election manifesto.
“It (BJD government) promised 25 per cent irrigation to agricultural land in 2000, 25 per cent irrigation facility in 2004, later it announced to ensure 35 per cent irrigation facility in each block and prior to 2014 elections it claimed irrigation to 10 lakh hectares of farmland. It has failed miserably to keep its promise,” the BJP state general secretary to media.
The BJP leaders claimed that the failure of the BJD government in keeping its promises is the main reason behind large scale farmer suicides in the state.
The BJP, which raised the issue to counter BJD’s padayatra, also sought a report from the state government on the amount of water being utilised from various rivers in the state for agriculture purpose.
The BJP leaders said that many farmers in the upper catchment of Vamsadhara, Nagavali and Rushikulya rivers are unable to utilise water properly for agriculture due to lack of irrigation facilities.
They further alleged that the Water Resources department is the most corrupt department of the state government where percentage commission (PC) is rampant. The BJD leaders, however, rubbished the allegations, saying the irrigation potential of the state has witnessed growth only during BJD government’s ruling.
BJD chief whip Amar Satpathy wanted to know about large-scale farmer suicides reported in BJP ruled states while he also wanted to know as to why BJP is ‘shedding crocodile tears’ in Mahanadi and Polavarm issues and extending full support to Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh, while neglecting the interest of people of Orissa.
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