Declare Odisha drought-hit, demand BJP, Congress

Opposition BJP and Congress in Odisha Wednesday came down heavily on the BJD government and demanded immediate declaration of drought as the dry spell condition has severely affected cultivation activities in 27 of the 30 districts.

As the state’s agriculture and farmers empowerment minister A K Sahoo said that the dry spell is purely natural and not man-made, the angry opposition members walked out of the House holding the state responsible for the plights of farmers.

Cultivators are in the grip of drought due to complete inaction of the state government, they said. Replying to the debate, the minister said the state government has taken several measures to mitigate the problems of cultivators.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has asked the authorities to repair all defunct lift irrigation projects within seven days and also made a provision of enhancing man-days under the MGNREGA to help the farmers in dry spell areas, Sahoo said.

However, the opposition members squarely blamed the ruling dispensation for not being able to provide water to agricultural fields even after 21 years of BJD rule in the coastal state.

Dubbing the state government as “anti-farmer”, Congress Legislature Party leader Narasingha Mishra said, “The government in 2009 had announced in this House that at least 35 per cent of the cultivable land in each district of the state would be irrigated within next five years. However, even after 12 years, the promises have not been kept.”

The BJP-led central government also came in for criticism by the Congress for stopping funding of the completion of the Lower Indra and Lower Suktel irrigation projects.

The Congress members also demanded a complete loan waiver, and supply of seeds, feritlisers, and pesticides free of cost to the affected farmers to enable them to take up cultivation of alternative crop as Kharif crop, mostly paddy, has been badly affected due to lack of rain.

BJP chief Whip Mohan Majhi lambasted the state government for putting the onus on “Rain God”, saying the state government cannot escape responsibility. He alleged that the state government has not added any new area under irrigation despite spending several lakhs.

The Parvati Giri Irrigation project has completely failed and many such facilities remain defunct, he said.

Majhi said the BJP demands immediate declaration of drought across Odisha and a long-term action plan to mitigate the miseries of the farmers facing the dry spell.

The agriculture minister informed the House that Odisha has faced eight drought-like situations in the last 20 years.

He said as many as 23 districts in the state have received deficit rain till August 28 this year and crops in 47 blocks spread over 14 districts have been damaged due to low rainfall.

The government is in the process of implementing a contingency crop plan to tackle such kinds of situations, he said.

"District collectors of areas with low rainfall have been directed to supply subsidised pump sets to the farmers," the minister said.

The House decided to go on with business as usual, introducing seven Bills without the opposition present.