BJP demands white paper on groundnut seeds

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Bhubaneswar: The BJP Kisan Morcha on Wednesday demanded that
the State Government should publish a white paper, containing list of farmers
who have received groundnut seeds during the last kharif.

Morcha president Maheswar Sahoo said that groundnut is
cultivated in almost all the districts of Odisha covering an area of 2.51 lakh
hectares for which the State needs around 1 lakh quintal of groundnut seed. But
the Government had taken decision to supply 1, 34,000 quintal this year and
further increased it to 2, 10,000 quintal after the cyclonic storm Phailin. 
“This is a clear act of hidden corruption motives. Though
the State has adequate farm infrastructure for seed production along with 50
per cent subsidy from the Centre for setting up seed villages, no step has been
taken for encouraging seed producers in the State. There is also provision of Rs
1000 bonus to farmers per quintal supply of C2 grade ground nut seeds but the
concerned Government departments are importing seeds from unregistered agencies
of Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and New Delhi discouraging and ignoring the producers
of the State,” said Sahoo.
The actual price of ground nut seed per quintal is Rs 6300
which should be provided to farmers at Rs 3150 at a 50 per cent subsidy as per
the Centre provision, but the farmers are purchasing it at a much higher price
at Rs 3800 form the Government selling centers. The Government is having hand
in gloves with the unauthorized agencies for its personal gains, alleged Sahoo.
He also alleged that
though the State Seeds Corporation (OSSC) and the State Agro Industries
Corporation have been continuously failing to supply seeds adequately-in time and
of good quality to farmers, the Government is assigning them the same without
any remedy. 
“There is rampant corruption and irregularities in the seeds
supply programme but the Government is adamant and not taking any step. Farmers
are suffering a lot due to these corrupt and callousness of the ruling BJD
Government. There is urgent need of CBI inquiry in the alleged irregularities,”
demanded Sahoo.

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