Bhubaneswar: Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Niranjan Patnaik on Wednesday said, if voted to power in 2019 elections, the party will waive off entire debts of the farmers in the State.
Addressing party workers and people at Meghamala Tota in Jeypore, Patnaik said that Congress will also increase the monthly old age pension to Rs 1000 from the present Rs 300, adding that super specialty hospitals will be set up for better and improved treatment of poor people.
"Neither the Sate nor the Centre is worried about the welfare of farmer. Congress will deeply consider waiving off loan for the farmers, if voted to power," said Patnaik.
[caption id="attachment_296342" align="alignnone" width="720"]
Reacting to Patnaik's comment, BJD spokesperson Rabi Narayan Nanda said, "From loan-waiver to irrigation scheme, the State
government has always brought in several projects at regular intervals. Patnaik is telling all these baseless things because he knows Congress can't come to power."
[caption id="attachment_296343" align="alignnone" width="720"]
Earlier in the day, Congress took out a massive rally in Koraput district which was seen as a show of strength by the party in presence of All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Odisha, Jitendra Singh.