Naveen Patnaik releases a booklet for farmers along with senior party leaders at the newly-formed party’s agriculture committee’s state meet in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, Aug. 11: Biju Janta Dal (BJD) supremo and chief minister Naveen Patntik today made it clear that the state would oppose the food security bill in Parliament.

“Because of the food security bill, if poor people of Odisha get less quantity of rice compared to the present allocated amount, we will oppose it,” Naveen said while inaugurating a farmers’ workshop at the BJD office here.

At present, the state gets rice from the Centre for 27.76 lakh families at Rs 35 per kg per month for each family. But it is distributing the same to the 42.32 lakh families at Rs 25 per kg per month.

Under the provisions of the food security bill, 5kg of rice will be given to each person. The state government apprehends that a number of families will not be covered as no final survey was held on the number of persons or families coming under BPL category since 1997. Though a survey was held in 2002, it stirred a controversy and the report was shelved.

Raising this issue at the workshop, Naveen said: “Now, the Centre will be considering head of a family as the beneficiary and not the entire family. If the Centre sticks to this, there is a possibility that a family will receive less amount of rice.”

Naveen asked the party leaders to reach the doorsteps of farmers and make them aware on the initiatives taken by the government for their development. “The workers should try to solve the problems of the farmers at their level. The state government has also introduced the agriculture policy for the overall development of the farmers,” he said. Naveen also released a booklet on the occasion. He accused the Centre of adopting an apathetic attitude towards the cause of farmers.

The party today also tried to give an impression that it was with the farmers. The saplings of paddy, plough and wheel were noticed at the meeting place. The party also decided to organise rallies on farmers issue at each block of the state. The programme will start from Deogarh on August 30. The other leaders of the party also came down heavily on the central government.

On the other hand, the Congress today organized a rally at Keonjhar. Attending the rally, union minister of sate for chemical and fertilisers, Srikant Jena said: “The people’s blessings are with the Congress. The countdown for Naveen’s regime has begun.”

Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Jaydev Jena said: “ During Naveen’s regime, around 3700 farmers have committed suicide. At this juncture, BJD’s farmers rally will not be accepted by the people. Their anger will be reflected in the 2014 elections.”