Odisha Congress Demands Immediate Payment of Paddy Dues to Farmers in Nabarangapur

The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on Tuesday demanded the immediate release of pending payments worth ₹4.41 crore to paddy farmers in the Raighar block of Nabarangapur district.

Addressing the media in Bhubaneswar, OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das alleged that 344 farmers sold over 14,000 quintals of paddy to the government nearly four months ago, but are yet to receive their dues.

Das criticized the ruling BJP government for delaying the payments, saying, “The BJP government will complete one year in office tomorrow. Before celebrating, it should ensure that the rightful payments to farmers are cleared.”

The Congress leader accused the state government of being indifferent to the plight of farmers and demanded urgent intervention to prevent further distress among cultivators who are already facing challenges due to erratic weather and rising input costs.

The OPCC has warned of protests if the dues are not cleared promptly and urged the government to treat the matter as a priority to uphold farmers’ trust in the procurement system.