BJD MPs to raise Mahanadi, paddy MSP issues in Parliament

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MPs will raise Mahanadi water dispute, MSP of paddy and other issues related to the interest of Odisha during the Monsoon session of the Parliament which commences from Monday.
A decision in this regard was taken at the BJD's Parliamentary Party meeting presided by its president and chief minister Naveen Patnaik here today.
"BJD MPs will raise Mahanadi water dispute issue and make demand to further hike the minimum support of paddy and other issues in the monsoon session of the parliament," said BJD Parliamentary Party spokesman K Singhdeo after the meeting.
The meeting held at Naveen Niwas, the residence of Patnaik, was attended by 21 of the BJD's 28 MPs in both the Houses of the Parliament.

Patnaik, sources said, asked MPs to put pressure on the Central government for setting up a tribunal for settlement of the Mahanadi water dispute with neighbouring Chhattishgarh. Since the negotiation committee has failed to solve the matter, the BJD government would demand immediate formation of tribunal, Singhdeo said.
This apart, the BJD MPs would also ask the central government to increase the minimum support price (MSP) on paddy to Rs 2930 per quintal of paddy against the existing price of Rs 1559 per quintal.
The BJD MPs would also demand authority to impose green tax under GST purview by the coal bearing states. This apart, the party MPs would also raise other issues in interest of the state, Singhdeo said.