BJD leaders to stage demo in Delhi over paddy MSP hike

BHUBANESWAR: THE BJD has decided to take the issue of hike in minimum support price (MSP) of paddy to the National Capital once again. The ruling party will be sending all its MPs and MLAs along with Biju Krushak Janata Dal (BKJD) members to Delhi in a special train on January 5 evening. The leaders will be staging a demonstration in front of Parliament on January 8 to reiterate their demand for a hike in paddy MSP to Rs 2,930 per quintal.

Announcing this at a media conference here on Thursday, Health and Family Welfare Minister and secretary general of BKJD Pratap Jena said a memorandum will also be submitted to President Ram Nath Kovind after the demonstration.

Criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not fulfilling promises given to farmers, Jena alleged that an Assembly Committee headed by the Speaker was also not given appointment by the Prime Minister’s Office for discussion on the issue of hike in MSP.

Meanwhile, the Biju Yuva Janata Dal (BYJD) and Biju Chhatra Janata Dal (BCJD) announced to launch a signature campaign from January 4 to protest anti-Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe policies of the Centre. Announcing this at a media conference here, presidents of BYJD and BCJD Amaresh Patri and Ranapratap Patra said the campaign will continue for a month during which 10 lakh signatures will be collected and sent to Kovind.

They alleged that Centre’s contribution for scholarship given to SC and ST students has been slashed from 90 per cent to less than 20 per cent burdening the state exchequer. While Central contribution for the scholarship was Rs 215.8 crore in 2016-17, it was slashed to only Rs 35.12 crore in 2017-18, they said and added that the State’s contribution which was only Rs 22.48 crore in 2016-17, increased to ‘232.28 crore in 2017-18.

Threatening to launch a State-wide agitation if the Central contribution of 90 per cent was not restored, the two leaders alleged that in 2018-19, Centre has announced assistance of only Rs 49.39 crore putting a burden of Rs 232.28 crore on the State.