BJD hits out at Odisha govt on farmer exclusion and Cyclone Montha relief delay

Bhubaneswar, Nov 5 (IANS) The main opposition Biju Janata Dal(BJD) on Wednesday lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Odisha Government, reacting to a letter written by Bargarh BJP MP Pradip Purohit to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.

In his letter, Purohit urged the Chief Minister to include 5,000 farmers from his constituency who were left out of the paddy procurement registration process and also sought compensation for farmers affected by Cyclone Montha.

Speaking to IANS, Senior Biju Janata Dal(BJD) leader and the party spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said the BJD has repeatedly raised concerns over the exclusion of thousands of farmers from the procurement process, which the state government has failed to address.

“It’s not just about 5,000 farmers. Thousands across Odisha have been left out due to faulty registration procedures and technical glitches,” he stated.

He criticised the government’s handling of the paddy procurement and fertiliser distribution system, calling it “harassing and mismanaged.”

“Farmers are standing in queues for hours and even days because of poor coordination and technical hurdles. The system needs urgent reform to make it easier for cultivators,” Mohanty said.

Taking a dig at the Agriculture Minister, he added, “The Minister seems more interested in promoting dragon fruit cultivation than resolving the plight of lakhs of paddy farmers in western Odisha. The government must immediately include the left-out farmers or face protests.”

Speaking on the Cyclone Montha compensation issue, Mohanty accused the government of downplaying the distress faced by the affected areas.

“While certain parts of Bargarh, Kalahandi, and Nuapada were moderately hit, the government’s delayed response and lack of proper compensation have worsened the situation for farmers,” he remarked.

He further said, “Under Naveen Patnaik, Odisha transformed from a disaster-prone to a disaster-resilient state. But the present government’s inefficiency has reversed that progress. People are suffering while the administration remains indifferent.”

Mohanty warned that if the government does not take immediate steps to address both the paddy procurement and cyclone compensation issues, the BJD will be forced to hit the streets in support of the state’s farmers and affected citizens.

--IANS

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