Floods: NCP seeks crop loan waiver

BHUBANESWAR: The State unit of the NCP, an ally of the BJD, has raised questions over the steps taken by the State Government for pre and post flood management.The devastating floods last month, which claimed 41 lives and damaged huge properties, was discussed at the State Executive and office-bearers meeting of the State NCP held here on Friday. “The damage inflicted by the floods could have been minimised had the department in charge acted more responsibly,” a release issued here said.Opposition parties, including the Congress and the BJP had also criticised the State Government for faulty water management of Hirakud reservoir besides the inadequate relief measures. The parties had also criticised the alleged partisan manner in which relief was distributed in the villages.The NCP State unit requested Union Agriculture Minister and all India president of the NCP Sharad Pawar to announce a special package for rabi crop for the farmers of flood-affected areas of the State. Twenty one out of the 30 districts were affected in the floods and there were large-scale damage to the kharif crop.The NCP has demanded that the State Government should completely waive interest on farmers’ crop loan in the flood-hit areas and provide fresh loan for rabi.The party constituted a committee, headed by MLA Ramchandra Hansdah, to take up relief work at the time of natural calamities. A resolution was passed thanking leaders and workers of all parties, NGOs and industrial houses for taking up relief and restoration work after the floods.The release said the Nationalist Welfare Trust had assisted in relief work. Former MLA Utkal Keshari Parida presided over the meeting.