TNI Bureau: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has announced a major protest rally at Lower PMG in Bhubaneswar on February 24, alleging a complete breakdown of the state’s paddy procurement system and accusing the government of failing farmers.

Addressing a press conference at Shankha Bhavan, senior party leaders claimed that the procurement process has been riddled with problems since the beginning of the season. They cited registration issues, delays in token distribution, irregularities at mandis, and alleged deductions from farmers’ produce as key concerns. According to the party, these disruptions have triggered widespread dissatisfaction among cultivators across multiple districts.

The protest rally is expected to be addressed by top BJD leaders, including party president Naveen Patnaik, and is being projected as a decisive show of strength in support of farmers.

Highlighting what they termed as alarming figures, BJD leaders claimed that only 31% of the total paddy production has been procured so far, citing government data. The party also alleged that nearly 1.5 lakh farmer registrations have been cancelled, leaving many cultivators unable to sell their produce through official channels.

Another major concern raised was the delay in Minimum Support Price (MSP) payments. The opposition alleged that despite the government’s promise of crediting payments within 48 hours, farmers are facing significant delays, deepening financial stress during the peak procurement period.

Beyond procurement, the BJD also accused the government of failing on broader fronts, including law and order and women’s safety, arguing that the administration has not lived up to its electoral promises of full procurement, zero deductions, and adequate subsidy support.

The party stated that farmer protests have been ongoing across Odisha since February 2, reflecting growing unrest at the grassroots level. The February 24 demonstration at Lower PMG is expected to be the largest so far, with farmers and party workers from across the state set to participate.

As the political temperature rises, the issue of paddy procurement is once again emerging as a central point of confrontation between the ruling establishment and the opposition, with farmers’ livelihoods at the heart of the debate.