BJD, BJP stages demonstration over farmers issue

The ruling BJD and opposition BJP today took to streets separately over farmers issue and staged demonstrations demanding revision of the minimum support price (MSP) on paddy and agriculture loan waiver in the state.
While the BJD leaders including some ministers sat on a dharna and submitted a memorandum to the President through Odisha Governor S C Jamir demanding revision of the MSP on paddy, the BJP activists staged demonstration demanding loan waiver in all the district headquarters.
A delegation of the BJD led by Agriculture minister Damodar Rout submitted a memorandum highlighting "anti-farmer" policies of the Centre.
Rout later told reporters that the BJP in its election promise had announced to double the MSP on paddy.

They said Odisha Assembly in its last session had also adopted a unanimous resolution to put forth a demand before the Centre to raise MSP of paddy to Rs 2,930 per quintal and a House Committee led by the Speaker had sought an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to submit its memorandum.
However, the House Committee is yet to get an appointment from the Prime Minister's office.
The activists of the BJP, on the other hand, staged demonstrations at Collector offices in all districts demanding waiver of farm loans in the state. The party's Krushak Morcha submitted memorandums addressed to the Governor through the Collectors.

The Morcha raised question on the state government's alleged dilly-dallying on waiver of farm loans while the Uttar Pradesh and Maharastra have already waived loans to bail out farmers from the crisis.