Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan wants Centre to intervene on drought situation in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday urged the Centre to send a fact-finding team to the State to assess the situation arising out of drought and pest attack on paddy crops leading to farmers’ suicides.

Writing to Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Radha Mohan Singh, the Petroleum Minister said massive pest infestation in nine districts of Odisha has ravaged paddy crops over area of 1.8 lakh hectares. Distressed farmers have taken the extreme step of setting their crops on fire and even committing suicide.

“The situation has spiralled out of the hand largely due to inordinate delay on part of the State Government in supplying subsidised pesticides to the farmers. The State Government has done too little too late and by the time pesticides were put to use, the pest had already damaged the crops resulting in the current crisis,” Pradhan said.

He said the problem of farmers has further compounded as 15 of the 30 districts in the State are reeling under drought. Though agriculture is a state subject, Pradhan said, the State Government has miserably failed to control the pest and save the standing crops.

“I would like your personal intervention to explore possible Central assistance to save the lives and livelihood of landless agricultural labourers, share-croppers, small and marginal farmers,” the letter said.
Claiming that seven farmers have committee suicide within a week, Pradhan had hit out at State Government on Monday for its inefficient handling of the situation.