Oppn Raises Concern Over Farmer Suicide, Drought Situation In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Members cutting across the party lines expressed grave concern over the drought situation in the state due to deficit monsoon rain this year, in the Odisha Assembly on Friday.

Raising the issue during the zero hour, Congress member Santosh Singh Saluja said that due to less rainfall, a drought-like situation has emerged in Odisha leaving farmers in the lurch.

Stating that a farmer of Barakani village of Balangir district Bhaktabandhu Dandasena had committed suicide due to the crop loss, Saluja urged Speaker Surya Narayan Patro to direct the minister to give a statement regarding the action taken by the state government to address the situation.

Referring to the suicide of the farmer, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Narasingha Mishra said the House Estimate Committee is yet to visit the district to assess the drought situation. “If the Committee does not visit the district, we will decide the future course of action,” he pointed out.

The Speaker in his ruling directed the Revenue and Disaster Management minister Sudam Marandi to make a statement on this matter within two days.