Bhubaneswar, Nov 13: Opposition BJP on Thursday demanded a judicial probe into the suicide of farmers across the state allegedly due to loss to their crops due to deficient rainfall this monsoon.
The party also demanded a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of deceased farmers.
Senior party leader Biswa Bhusan Harichandan said, “The State government is trying to suppress the matter. We demand an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh for families of the farmers who have ended lives due to crop loss.”
He asked the government to waive off agriculture loans and demanded an inquiry into the number of organisations and banks who have loaned to farmers.
Water bodies and ponds should be renovated for rabi crop. There is enough fund in State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to take up renovation works, he said.
However, spokesperson of ruling BJD party Pratap Deb said the saffron party’s demand is a political gimmick.
