Bhubaneswar: The farmers’ issue again rocked the Assembly Monday with opposition Congress and BJP holding the state government responsible for the plight of farmers in the state.
Moving an adjournment motion, Congress alleged that farmers in the state are surrounded by a host of problems to which both the state and Central governments have turned a blind eye.
Both Congress and BJP who put the treasury bench as well as the state government on mat over this issue during the two-hour long debate on the floor of the House finally staged a walkout alleging that the state government failed to answer their queries and also tried to divert the topic during the discussion.
Initiating the debate, Congress Chief Whip Taraprasad Bahinipati first slammed the state government on the absence of Agriculture department officials in the officers’ gallery of the House.
He further blasted the government for large number of vacancies in the Agriculture department at grass-root level. “Agriculture officials are appointed at the field level to address the problem of farmers. But unfortunately this government has not appointed a single VLW in last one decade. Further the number of agriculture officials at panchayat level at present is just one in every 10 panchayats. This speaks volumes of the state government’s concern for agriculture sector,” Bahinipati said.
Stating that the move of the state government to present separate agriculture budget is a total failure, Bahinipati said , “ Starting from Potato Mission to Onion Mission, the state government has failed on every front in the agriculture sector.”
Congress leaders slammed the BJD government for its failure in constructing any major dam or irrigation project in last 17 years. While water is not stored in check dams, around 80 per cent lift irrigation points are lying defunct, said the Congress chief whip.
The opposition alleged that the farmers in the state affected in flood, cyclone and drought are not getting adequate compensation.
Both Congress and BJP said that the suicide of farmers has shamed the state.
BJP alleged that the state government is yet to fulfill the promise of minimum 35 per cent irrigation facility in each block in the state.
In his reply, Agriculture Minister Damodar Rout, who said that the state government was appreciated by the Centre in Agriculture sector for bumper production, raised the issue of Mahanadi and Polavaram and targeted both BJP and Congress. He blamed the Centre for undermining Orissa’s interest in these cases irrespective of the fact that Orissa is suffering due to Polavaram dam by Andhra Pradesh government and construction of illegal dams at Mahanadi upstream by Chhattisgarh government.
Alleging that the minister was diverting the topic, both Congress and BJP staged a walkout from the House at around 2.50pm.
The minister however said that the state government has been taking all required measures to address the issues and problems of farmers.
PNN
