Odisha Farmers Stage Protest In Bhubaneswar Demanding Free Electricity

Bhubaneswar: Hundreds of farmers from various parts of Odisha staged a demonstration in Bhubaneswar on Monday alleging exorbitant electricity tariff and exploitation by the private distribution company.

The farmers, united under the banner of Navnirman Krushak Sangathan (NKS), were seen jostling with police personnel deployed at the protest site near Lower PMG square while trying to take out a march.

Led by Akshaya Kumar, NKS national convener and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), farmers holding placards shouted slogans against the state government and Tata Power, which has been entrusted with power distribution in the state.

Akshaya Kumar lambasted the private company accusing it of exploiting the farmers by way of collecting high electricity bills. Agitating farmers demanded free electricity for them and said that they are the backbone of the state’s economy and the state government should stop the power distribution companies from exploiting farmers.

Addressing the rally, the NKS leader cited the instance of Telangana government which is providing free electricity to farmers. He accused the Odisha government of doing little in this direction.

Alleging that private power distribution companies are exploiting farmers and they should not be allowed to manage the power distribution, he demanded that the state government keep the power distribution with it.

The farmers using lift irrigation have to suffer by paying high electricity tariff while power supply to lift irrigation points are snapped when farmers concerned fail to clear dues.