Bhubaneswar, Nov 19
Odisha Chief Minister and President of Biju Janata Dal Naveen Patnaik declared on Thursday to reduce interest rate on farm loan to one percent at a farmers rally in Bargarh district.
Addressing the rally at Sohela town, the Chief Minister said the BJD had promised in its manifesto to reduce interest on crop loan, and keeping its promise, he has decided this slash on farm loan interest. The small, marginal and medium range farmers will avail this facility.
Similarly he also announced that the farmers of drought affected areas will get a drought assistance of additional rupees one hundred during paddy procurement. The State Government will bear all these expenses from its own resources, he said.
Announcing that the State Government will spent about Rs 35,000 crore for the development of Western Odisha in next five years, the Chief Minister said, out of this about 8o percent would be spent on agriculture development. Rs.8000 crore will be spent only for irrigation. I believe this will relieve our farmers from drought situation. For facilitating irrigation programmes in Bargarh district, rupees fifteen hundred crore will be spent on Ong Medium Irrigation Project and Rupees three hundred crore Zira Medium Irrigation Project.
A mega lift irrigation project will be launched in Kalahandi within the next fifteen days. Besides for special feeder for agriculture and rural electrification more than Rs. 13,000 crore will be spent, said the Chief Minister.
Speaking on the role of opposition in this critical situation, the BJD supremo said that his party does not go by the words of the mouth, rather it believes in doing its works sincerely.
Like the Opposition Parties, our job is not limited to only Press Conferences. My Government is always with the farmers and will always be so. The farmers’ problem will never be over either by shedding crocodile tears at Press Conferences or by making Pada-yatras in front of TV camera, he said.
The Opposition is trying to demoralize the farmers of the state, but they will never be successful. They must stop this petty politics over farmers’ grief.
Mentioning how the state has successfully faced natural calamities like Phailin and Hudhud, the Chief Minister said Odisha had gone through massive losses at that time.
Farmers had also suffered serious losses; but even at that time, the then Prime Minister forgot to come to Odisha. The central leaders remember Odisha only during the time of elections. Making an emotional appeal to farmers, he said, ‘but I am always with you and will continue to serve you till the last breath of my life.’
The BJD President also highlighted the steps taken by the State Government to face the drought situation. He said that the Government and the party have taken the farmers’ problem very seriously. “I have directed to MPs and MLAs of my party to go to farmers and stand behind them in their time of distress”, he said.
Despite not getting a single pie from center till now, he said his Government has already sanctioned an assistance of Rupees one thousand crore. Water cess has been waived, loan recovery has been stopped till March next year, loan repayment has been extended up to 3 years, work up to 200 days being provided under MGNREGA, strong action is being taken against money lenders, input subsidy distribution has been started for Ravi crops and a lot other steps have also been taken.
