Bhubaneswar: The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is planning a massive protest across Odisha from February 14 to 16 to oppose the Centre’s decision to stop the PMGKAY free food programme and reduction of Rs 20,000 crore in paddy procurement in the recent budget.
Addressing a presser, BJD MLA Arun Kumar Sahoo said that the cut in the budget will severely affect farmers, especially in western Odisha. “The Centre earlier procured 18 lakh MT rice from the state and it has now been reduced to 4 lakh MT when Bargarh district alone produces 4 lakh MT paddy in the state. The future of farmers in the rest 29 districts will be at stake due this decision,” he said.
Sahoo further said the paddy procurement will drastically go down and the farmers will be deprived of getting the MSP because of the decision to stop Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY).
Notably, the Centre decided to discontinue the PMGKAY as the economic situation had improved since COVID-19 cases and restrictions had eased. With additional 5kg free rice per person being stopped under PMGKAY, it decided to provide free rations under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) over the next year in a move to couch the poor from the effects of the scheme, which ended on December 31, 2022. “We are opposing the closure of PMGKAY as it affects 3.25 crore population as well as lakhs of farmers in Odisha,” he said.
To protect the interest of lakhs of farmers, the BJD will stage a protest in front of the Raj Bhawan on February 14 morning demanding all food grains be procured from Odisha, the BJD legislator said, adding that a delegation will meet Governor Ganeshi Lal and submit a memorandum, addressed to the central government, pressing for their demands.
The following day, mass protests will be staged by the party at each Gram Panchayat headquarters in all 30 districts. On February 16, the BJD protestors will demonstrate in each collectorate and block office.
A memorandum will be submitted to the President opposing the reduced allocation for paddy procurement and demanding the continuation of PMGKAY.
“If the demand is not met within 15 days, the party will stage protest across the state against Central negligence towards farmers of the state,” he added.
