Date:16/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/16/stories/2008021656550100.htm

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Walkout over ryots’ suicide

Special Correspondent

Government terms Opposition charge ‘fabricated’

Ministers non-committal on demand for loan waiver
State Government taking series of steps for welfare of farmers

BHUBANESWAR: The Naveen Patnaik Government had a tough time in the Assembly on Friday with the Opposition squarely blaming it for the frequent incidents of farmers’ suicides in different regions of the State.

Opposition members staged a walkout when neither Agriculture Minister Surendranath Nayak nor Minister of Cooperation Surama Padhy reacted to their demand that the government waive the farm loans disbursed by various cooperative societies to prevent farmers’ suicides.

The verbal duel between the Opposition and the ruling legislators on the issue of farmers’ suicides continued for more than two hours.

As Opposition members alleged that the government was not looking at the factors leading to farmers’ suicides, those participated in the discussion from the side of the ruling Biju Janata Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance termed the Opposition charge ‘fabricated.’

Adjournment motion

Replying to an adjournment motion moved by Congress legislator Satya Bhushan Sahu on the farmer’s suicides, the Agriculture Minister said no farmer had committed suicide for his inability to repay agricultural loan.Referring to the two cases of suicides that took place in the recent weeks, Mr. Nayak, however, admitted that some irregularities had been noticed in disbursal of loans by the cooperative society concerned in Jajpur district, where a farmer committed suicide on the night of January 30.

Officials of the department concerned were taking necessary action, he said.

On suicide by a young farmer in Bargarh district recently, the Minister said the report pertaining to the incident was without any basis. As per the report of the District Collector, victim Pramod Sahu was not the head of the family, he added.

However, as the Opposition legislators raised their voice rejecting his clarification, Mr. Nayak said further inquiries would be conducted to know the reasons behind Sahu’s suicide.

Countering the Opposition stand that the government was neglecting the cause of the farmers and was busy showing favours to big private companies, Mr. Nayak claimed that apart from decreasing the interest rate on agricultural loans the government had taken a series of measures for the benefit of farmers.

The government was committed to the development of agriculture and farmers, Mr. Nayak emphasised.