KalingaTV News Network
Nuapada: A six-member Central team of the BJP on Saturday visited various pest-affected areas and held discussion with farmers to assess the ground reality of crop loss in the district.
The team , led by BJP’s Kisan Morcha National General Secretary P Sugunakar Rao, would also meet the kin of farmers who have recently committed suicide on account of crop loss due to massive pest attack in the region.
Other members of the team include MPs Savitri Thakur and Om Prakash Yadav, Party’s National Vice-president Maheshwar Sahu, National Secretary Sambhu Kumar and Andhra Pradesh BJP Kisan Morcha President PT Rao. Among others, Odisha BJP Krushak Morcha President Sibaji Mohanty accompanied the visiting saffron leaders.
Besides Nuapada, the central team is also scheduled to visit Balangir, Sonepur, Boudh, Ganjam and Nayagarh districts in their four-day visit to the state.
The team will submit its fact finding report to National President Amit Shah, informed Sugunakar Rao.
According to official sources, a whopping 1.78 lakh hectare of paddy farm in nine districts in western Odisha have been damaged by massive pest attack. As many as nine farmers have ended their lives over crop loss due to pest attack in last few weeks.
Naveen Government has recently announced a package of Rs 124 crore for the pest affected areas in the state.
Ms Kalinga