Farmers issues likely to top poll manifestos

Bhubaneswar: Promises for farmers are likely to be key part of manifestos of the BJP and the Congress, the main opposition parties in the state in the run up to the simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections. Manifesto panels of the two parties held their first meetings on Saturday.
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik said, “Our party is committed to offer a people’s manifesto for which it has started consultation with the people from different fields. We will also study the manifestos of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Our promises will reflect what people of Odisha want.”

The Congress has announced to waive farm loans, provide free solar pumps to farmers and increase MSP of paddy to Rs 2,500 per quintal from the Centre’s decided price of Rs 1,750. The same are likely to be reflected in its manifesto.

Congress has launched a website (http://congressmyvoice.com) to seek people’s suggestions on 28 topics the first of which is “farms and farmers.” The others include employment, education, health, third gender, differently-abled, land rights, regional disparity, among others. The party has also invited people’s feedback through WhatsApp and Facebook.

Biswa Bhusan Harichandan, chairman of the BJP manifesto committee, said his party will give prominence to farmers besides health, education, transport, employment, women’s safety and tribals’ welfare.

“Our manifesto will reflect people’s voice. We will launch a website on January 27 to seek their feedback. Members of the manifesto panel will tour all the 30 districts to hold consultations with people. There will also be drop boxes in the party office where one can drop one’s suggestions,” he said.

The Naveen Patnaik-led BJD said it would decide on its manifesto soon. “It is natural for the BJP and the Congress to speed up the manifesto making process. But being the ruling party, we are busy in fulfilling our promises. In due course of time, the party will decide on its manifesto keeping people’s welfare and state’s development in mind,” said BJD spokesperson Pratap Keshari Deb.

The BJD has also given priority to farmers, which is reflected in the Naveen government’s recently launched KALIA (Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and income Augmentation), direct cash assistance scheme for farmers. The government plans to transfer first instalment of Rs 5,000 to the accounts of more than 12 lakh farmers on January 25. The chief minister is scheduled to address a mega farmers’ event at Puri to mark the benefits transfer.