Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday termed the Centre’s decision to hike minimum support price (MSP) of paddy by `80 per quintal as ‘‘disappointing,’’ and his party, the BJD (Biju Janata Dal) decided to launch a state-wide agitation against the NDA government.
“The farmers’ issue is a national issue and cannot be resolved without the support of the Union government,” said Patnaik.
BJD vice-president and Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister S N Patro called upon farmers to oppose the Centre’s decision. He said the state government would urge the Centre to revise its decision “The hike in paddy MSP is very less. Even if the state wants to support the farmers with bonus, it cannot do so due to restrictions imposed by the Centre,” he said.
He added, “The agriculture ministry’s website says that the MSP has been hiked on basis of recommendations made by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). The price for A-grade paddy is fixed at `1,590 per quintal while the rate of common variety paddy was `1,550 per quintal.”
The Union Agriculture Ministry June 20 announced its decision on paddy MSP and proposed to increase it from `1,470 to `1,550 per quintal.
“We will stage demonstrations across the state and tell people how BJP backtracked from its promises made to the farmers,” BJD spokesperson Samir Ranjan Dash said. The farmers’ wing of BJD announced a programme to gherao Governor House June 23.
Congress chief whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati criticised the Centre and said the decision to hike MSP by `80 per quintal was a “joke” at the farmers.
“We will launch a stir against the Centre and call other political parties including BJP to come to the streets for the interest of the farmers,” Bahinipati said.
Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan said here that the Centre has hiked MSP of paddy three times in the last three years. It has made provision for agricultural loan at the lowest rate of interest. It has also introduced Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.
“The allegations by the state government are only a farce, it has done nothing for the betterment of farmers,” he added.
BJD chief whip Amar Prasad Satpathy said, “Orissa Assembly had earlier unanimously passed a resolution demanding a hike in paddy MSP to `2,930 per quintal. The house committee chaired by the speaker had also sought an appointment to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to present their demand for consideration. However, so far the House Committee is unable to meet the Prime Minister.”
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