Bhubaneswar September 29 : Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, whose party BJD opposed the passage of farm bills in Rajya Sabha, on Monday said they will fight for implementation of Swaminathan Commission recommendations on fixing of the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Patnaik said this while addressing the BJD Legislature Party meeting on the eve of monsoon session of the Assembly which commences from Tuesday.
The eight-day long session of the state house has been convened from September 29 amid surging COVID cases in Odisha.The session will end on October 7.
“BJD is in favour of any initiative that will bring prosperity in the lives of farmers. We will continue our fight for implementation of M S Swaminathan committee recommendations on formulating MSP. This will really help the farmers at large, Patnaik told the BJD lawmakers.
Stating that BJD raised its concern regarding protection of farmers interest in the farm bills, Patnaik said his party has suggested for close scrutiny of the legislations by the Parliamentary Committee.
This apart, Patnaik said the BJD will form a committee of MLAs, MPs and leading farmers leaders to study the provisions of the new farm bills.
I would like to assure the farmers that their welfare will be paramount in any of our interventions,” Patnaik said referring to the opposition Congress allegations that both the BJD and BJP were “anti-farmers”.
Senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh during a recent visit to Odisha, had targeted the ruling BJD and accused the regional party of having a “secret understanding” with the BJP at the national level.
Patnaik also made his party’s stand clear on the New Education Policy.
“The party has formed a committee to go through all aspects and come up with findings after discussing with various stakeholders,” he said.
Stating that Odisha is the first state formed on linguistic basis in the country, the BJD president said that the party is committed to protect and promote the mother tongue odia, whether it is in New Education Policy or any other intervention of the union government.
“This will form an important principle to evaluate the education policy and in addition to this How rural students will be impacted will also be an important criteria for us,” Patnaik said.