CPI asks Naveen to take all party delegation to PM

Bhubaneswar, Jan 24 (PTI) Seeking inclusion of sevencoastal districts in the list of rain-hit areas in Orissa, CPItoday asked Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to take an all partydelegation to Delhi to exert pressure on the Centre forgranting assistance to the affected farmers.

A delegation of CPI, led by its state secretaryDibakar Nayak, met Patnaik at the secretariat and demandedadequate compensation for the farmers as the unseasonal rainhad dealt a severe blow to the agrarian community.

As the chief minister pointed out that the Centre didnot release a single paise for the Orissa farmers, the CPIleaders asked him to take an all party delegation to PrimeMinister Manmohan Singh.

While the Centre had released assistance for therain-hit farmers in Andhra Pradesh and Maharastra, it did notconsider the plights of Orissa farmers, Patnaik told thedelegation.

Demanding a revised package for the farmer as theearlier one was too inadequate to meet the extensive damages,CPI leaders said that the Centre should declare unseasonalrain as a national calamity.

The left party which forged seat adjustment with theruling BJD during the 2009 elections, also informed the chiefminister that CPI would demonstrate before all the districtcollectors office to press for its demands including allotmentof forest land right to about 25 lakh families.

The party alleged the state government advocated apolicy of ''officer-driven'' governance, in which "thegovernment gives importance to officers instead of electedpeople''s representaives". PTI AAM SUS

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