Pradhan dubs Odisha's BJD government as 'anti-farmer'

Pradhan alleged that the "insensitive" state government waited for a situation to announce the package, keeping an eye on the upcoming by-election for Bijepur Assembly seat.

Bhubaneswar, Nov 6: Lashing out at the BJD government for farmer suicides in Odisha due to crop loss caused by pest attack, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan claimed that the state government used the tragedy to announce relief package, instead of taking timely steps to prevent such incidents.

Pradhan alleged that the "insensitive" state government waited for a situation to announce the package, keeping an eye on the upcoming by-election for Bijepur Assembly seat.

"The BJD government in Odisha is not only inefficient, corrupt and insensitive, but is also responsible for suicide by farmers hit by crop loss due to pest attack," the Petroleum Minister said at a press meet in Bhubaneswar.

Dubbing the BJD regime as "anti-farmer", the BJP leader said though the state government had announced Rs 100 would be given as bonus to the farmers over and above the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy, it is yet to become a reality.

The Union Minister said several BJP-ruled states including Chhattisgarh are providing such bonus, while in Odisha, it remained only an announcement without being translated into action. Pradhan lashed out at the state government for having failed to bring out a new share-cropper policy, despite making an announcement in this regard long back.

The minister said he has spoken to Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh regarding the situation in Odisha for appropriate steps. Pradhan also criticised Odisha's Agriculture Minister Damodar Rout for stating that no compensation would be given to farmers, who have burnt their pest-infected crops.

PTI