Decision to distribute
Smart Phone to Women farmers in Odisha-
A scheme of hoax and deception of Naven Patnaik Govt.
A scheme of hoax and deception of Naven Patnaik Govt.
On 8.4.18,
Sri Surya Narayan Patra, Minister for Cooperation has declared about State Govt.’s decision to distribute Smart Phone to women farmers free of cost.
Sri Patro has also stated
that the information about agriculture, climatic condition , technical advice will be disseminated to Women farmers through Smart phone.
As I recall, in 2013 just before
2014- Assembly election, Nabin Patnaik, Chief Minister declared mobile scheme for farmers. Under the Scheme,
a budgetary allocation of Rs. 2 crores was earmarked to distribute mobile to
20,000 farmers free of cost. A mega Mobile distribution ceremony was organised
in Bhubaneswar to inaugurate launching of Mobile scheme. Chief Minister launched the scheme and
distributed mobile to few farmers free of cost.
As per RTI information, Total amount of Rs. 35 lakh was spent
for this launching ceremony. This mobile was distributed with the objective
of sensitising the farmers through mobile message about agricultural schemes,
technical advice for cultivation etc.
After one year of distribution
of mobile phone to farmers, RTI Application was filed to few districts like
Khurda, Bolangir, Kalahandi , Malkangiri
to get information about list of farmers distributed mobile phones. The idea of seeking this
information was to interview the farmers
about use of mobiles by them and
how it helps them to get the information about agriculture from the
Govt. Not a single District provided the
information about the list of farmers.
The Govt. has also no list of farmers who received the mobiles. There is also no study by the Govt. about use of mobile by farmers or their
family members. It was learnt from Govt. officials that the mobiles were distributed to the farmers in view of forthcoming election of 2014 to
woo them
for votes. Dissemination of
information through mobile phone was just a plea for spending money from state exchequer
to get votes.
As the forth-coming assembly election
is nearby, the BJD Govt. is trying hard to
garner electoral support from different section of voters by declaring
various lucrative schemes. Smart phone for women farmers is one of them. The declared objective of distribution smart phone to women farmers for information dissemination about cultivation
is false and deception. The agenda is to mobilise women farmers for
votes in the coming assembly
election through Smart phone.
The people of Odisha must understand
the evil design of Govt. behind
distribution of Smart Phone which
forced around 200 farmers to commit
suicide in Odisha.
Pradip Pradhan, M: 9937843482
Date: 09.04.2018
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