BJP farmer wing to gherao Naveen Nivas on Jan 8

BHUBANESWAR: After launching a series of agitations on farmers’ issues, BJP Krushak Morcha has decided to gherao Naveen Nivas, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s residence, on January 8 as a mark of protest against the State Government’s failure to resolve the crisis facing the farm sector.

The BJP, which had extended support to the long march of farmers to the Capital under the banner of Naba Nirman Krushak Sangathan in November over their demands of price, prestige and pension, has urged Naveen to make his stand clear on providing bonus to farmers over and above the minimum support price for paddy announced by the Centre.

Though the Chief Minister had announced in 2015 to provide bonus of `100 per quintal of paddy in a farmers’ rally at Sohela, he is silent on his promise, said State BJP Krushak Morcha president Sivaji Mohanty.

After a preparatory meeting for the proposed mass convention of farmers in the city on January 8, Mohanty said farmers are facing several hardships to sell their paddy due to utter mismanagement at the paddy procurement centres (PPCs). While paddy stocks are piling up in the market yards, non-functioning of the mandis has forced farmers to sell their stocks to middlemen who are agents of local rice millers at whatever prices they quote.

The Centre has fixed paddy MSP at `1,750 per quintal for common variety and `1,770 for Grade-A variety, but farmers are selling paddy at `1,000 to `1,200 per quintal to private traders. 
Highlighting the farmers’ problems, activists of Krushak Morcha have been laying siege to mandis from December 19 demanding purchase of paddy from farmers at MSP, but there is hardly any improvement in

the situation.
Besides, complaints of price cut for at least 4 kg to 5 kg per bag during procurement galore across the States and no step has been taken by the State Government to stop the malpractice. As a result, the farmers have to lose out on their dues.