Hundreds of farmers from across Odisha and neighbouring West Bengal staged a demonstration here on Monday highlighting various issues faced by the farming community.
Farmers from various districts of the state, under the banner of Odisha Krushak Sangathan Samanaya Samiti, staged ‘Krushak Adhikar Chetabani Samavesh’ against government apathy towards the community.
The Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sangharsh Samiti of West Bengal also joined the protest.
Holding banners and shouting slogans, the farmers demanded a hike in minimum support price (MSP) and farm loan waiver.
Terming Rs 80 hike on paddy MSP insufficient, they demanded that the MSP of paddy should be increased to Rs 2,930 per quintal as promised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Environmentalist and farmer leader Prafulla Samantray, who joined the protest, termed both the state and the central governments as anti-farmers.
He alleged that at a time when the state government itself is yet to give bonus to the farmers, it has urged the Central government to increase the paddy MSP to Rs 2,930 per quintal.
Samantray also came down heavily on the Centre for hiking the paddy MSP by a meagre Rs 80 even though Modi had, in the run up to the 2014 general elections, promised to double the price.
He said the farmers would intensify their stir in every village if the government does not take up the issues and provide justice to them.
Agriculture Minister Damodar Rout said the Reserve Bank of India was against the idea of loan waiver to farmers.