The House Committee of Odisha Assembly chaired by Speaker Pradip Amat expressed its ‘concern and displeasure’ over the fixation of MSP for paddy and decided to meet President Ram Nath Kovind since PM Narendra Modi had not responded to its earlier request for an appointment.

The two BJP MLA’s in the committee Mr K V Singh Deo and B B Harichandan skipped the meeting on Friday. Odisha has been demanding a MSP of Rs 2,930 per quintal of paddy as the production cost incurred by farmers is Rs 2,344. A resolution to this effect had been passed in the Assembly earlier.

In fact the BJP was a signatory to the resolution that had been passed in the Assembly. It is pertinent to note here that after the announcement of MSP recently (a hike of Rs 200 per quintal), the BJP party here celebrated terming it as historic.

The MSP on paddy has been enhanced by a miserly Rs 200 per quintal as against the promise of one and a half times the production cost. The BJP has betrayed the farmers, charged the Congress and ruling BJD members.

Congress leaders said the absence of BJP MLAs at the meeting was unfortunate and it exposes the sharp differences in the party. First the MLA’s supported the demand and since the party celebrated on the Rs 200 per quintal hike, the MLAs had to abstain, chided Congress leaders here.

The House Committee had earlier sought an appointment with the PM but he did not even acknowledge the request letter, therefore we have decided to meet the President, said the BJD.

A memorandum will be submitted to the President urging for hike of paddy MSP to Rs 2,930 per quintal, informed Mr S Das Burma of the BJD. Leader of Opposition, Mr Narasingha Mishra debunked BJP’s claim of historic increase in MSP by pointing out that in 2012-13 the UPA government had increased it by Rs 170. In money terms , how can Rs 200 increase be historic given the costs of inputs, he questioned.

He drew attention to the discrepancy in calculating production cost and said last year the centre had put the production cost at Rs 1400 while this year it says the cost is Rs 1100 plus.

Several other members of the House Committee including Parliamentary Affairs Minister Bikram Arukh, chief whip Amar Satpathy, Congress member Tara Prasad Bahinipati spoke at the meeting.