BRAHMAPUR: Farmers of Ganjam
district would block National Highway-5 at Chatrapur, 25 km from here, demanding
Rs 300 bonus on Minimum Support Price (MSP) of paddy and opening of paddy procurement
cells (Mandis) at the panchayat-level according to the Government guidelines. It
was decided by the Rushikulya Ryot Mahasabha (RRM) and Odisha Chasi Suraksha
Abhiyan (OCSA) during a district-level farmers’ convention at Purusottampur in
the district on Sunday.
Attending the farmers’
convention, Western Odisha Farmers’ Coordination Committee leader Bibhudatta
Patnaik said the Ganjam farmers should start movement unitedly to get their
rights like western Odisha farmers. Nexus between the Mill owners with Government
officials left the farmers in tizzy, he added.
Activist Prafulla Samantara said
the State Government is planning to give the land, water and forest of the poor
people in the hand of corporate houses for which the farmers should protest
unitedly to get their rights. OCSA convener Rabi Rath called upon the farmers
to raise their voice against the anti-Government policy of the State and
Central Government.
RRM president Trinath Biswal and
Secretary Simanchal Nahak demanded the Government to take immediate steps to
stop distress sale of paddy and give Rs 2,000 per quintal as MSP of paddy. They
also demanded the Government to issue same guidelines across the State to
purchase paddy, pension for the farmers, adequate crop insurance and granting
of Rs 10,000 per acre as crop loss compensation to the farmers by revising of
1998 relief code.
Among others, Kabisurya Baladev
Krushak Sangh president Prashant Swain, Basundhara Krushak Sangathan secretary
Narayan Sethy, Baldevji Krushak Sangh secretary Raghunath Sahu, members of OCSA
Gajapati district, Chasi Kranti Manch leader Brundaban Behera and Ratanei
Krushak Sangh secretary Narayan Pradhan were present.
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