BJP Mizoram unit slams ZPM govt for ‘neglecting’ farmers

Aizawl: BJP's Mizoram unit has accused the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) govt headed by chief minister Lalduhoma of neglecting the farmers as against electoral promises. They also accused the CM of refusing to help oil palm growers when they approached him last year.
In a media release, the BJP state unit says the Oil Palm Growers Society of Kolasib district and Oil Palm Farmers Association of Mamit district pleaded with Lalduhoma to write a demi official (DO) letter to the central govt for disbursement of financial aid to the farmers. Kolasib district is situated along the Assam border while Mamit district borders Tripura and Bangladesh.
"The CM refused to write DO letter and the central govt and oil palm farmers of the two districts were compelled to approach the then state governor Hari Babu Kambhampati," the media release said, adding Kambhampati wrote a DO letter to Union minister for agriculture & farmers' welfare Shivraj Singh Chauhan on Dec 12 last year forwarding a letter of the farmers to the Prime Minister.
In response to the former governor's plea, the central govt has released Rs 2.2 crore under National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP) for 2022-2023 fiscal as viability gap payment support price, the BJP said. The Centre has released Rs 78 lakh for 2023-2024 financial year and also arranged financial assistance on a monthly basis, the media release said.
"The BJP wants that kisan credit card is utilised by farmers in Mizoram to the maximum as intended by the central govt," the press release added.