Bhubaneswar: several ministers in the government of Odisha State in eastern India are facing protest-demonstrations during their visit to the districts over the rising number of suicides by farmers due to crop loss and loan burden.
Several activists of the opposition Bhartiya Janata Party were arrested on Wednesday for opposing the visit of State’s Industries and School and Mass Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra, Energy Minister Pranab Prakas Das and Finance Minister Pradip Kumar Amat to Boudh district.
The ministers were in Boudh district to review implementation of different programmes of their respective departments.
The crop loss in Boudh district due to deficient rainfall this monsoon was nearly 33 per cent initially. But subsequent eye estimation has raised it to over 66 per cent.
The State government has already declared Rs 1000 package for the farmers and ordered early disbursement.
On Tuesday two ministers – Agriculture Minister Pradeep Kumar Maharathy and Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Sudam Marandi – were shown black flags by activists of opposition political parties at Bolangir and Ganjam districts respectively.
As many as 50 farmers have committed suicide in this State following loss to their crops due to drought situation and loan burden.
Two peasants ended their lives on Wednesday in Bargarh district in western Odisha and Umerkote in Koraut district in southern Odisha.
