Slamming the BJD Government in Odisha for suicide of over 15 farmers allegedly due to debt burden following crop loss, Opposition Congress and BJP today demanded Rs 10 lakh compensation for the families of the deceased.
They made the demand in separate press meets a day after state Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy revealed that the government was probing the alleged suicides of farmers in various districts.
"The government has received 15 or 16 reports of alleged farmer suicide cases. The police and district administrations are probing the incidents and circumstances in which the farmers allegedly committed suicide," Maharathy told a private news channel.
Accusing the state government of failing to take timely measures to prevent farmers from taking the extreme step, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Prasad Harichandan said his party demanded compensation at Rs 20,000 per hectare to the farmers in drought-affected areas.
The OPCC also demanded disbursement of crop loan to farmers during the Rabi season at zero or 1 per cent interest rate.
"We have also demanded compensation of Rs 10 lakh to each of the families of farmers who ended their lives due to crop loss," Harichandan said, adding his party has suggested the state government to send an all party delegation to demand central assistance to the state for drought.
BJP leader and former revenue minister B B Harichandan said the government should immediately disburse Rs 10 lakh from the chief minister's relief fund as compensation each to the family of the farmers who killed themselves.
Saying that supply of seeds, fertilizers and loans free of interest was the need of the hour, the BJP leader also demanded a waiver of agricultural loans of all farmers in the drought hit areas.
The state government on October 14 announced a drought package worth Rs 1,000 crore to tackle the situation. At least 123 blocks spread over 16 districts of Odisha have been hit by the drought where crop loss was to the extent of 33 per cent or more.
