Bhubaneswar: Alleging large scale irregularities in the procurement of paddy in Odisha, members of Naba Nirman Krushak Sangathan (NNKS) gheraoed the official residence of Food Supplies Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak in Bhubaneswar on Thursday.
Holding banners and placards, several activists of the farmers’ outfit staged a demonstration outside the residential building of the Minister seeking his immediate intervention to put an immediate halt to the practice of ‘katni-chhatni’ during procurement of paddy in the state.
Alleging gross mismanagement of mandis and the procurement process in the state, the protesters said their fight would continue in order to secure justice to the farmers.
The agitating farmers alleged that the rice mill agents, with the help of government officials, have been deducting 10 to 15 kg of paddy per quintal in the name of ‘katni-chhatni’ during the procurement in mandis. As a result, the farmers across the state have been suffering, they claimed.
Stating that the farmers are inspired by the ideology of Saheed Bhagat Singh, the demonstrators said if the BJD government fails to safeguard the interests of the farming community, they will ensure that the Naveen Patnaik-led party is dislodged from power in the next elections due in 2024.
