Overview
- BJD and Congress protests kept the Odisha Assembly disrupted for days, prompting Speaker Surama Padhy to order repeated adjournments and call an all-party meeting.
- Naveen Patnaik addressed a large farmers' rally near the Assembly, accusing the BJP-led government of mishandling mandis and warning of escalated agitation.
- Food Supplies Minister K C Patra told the House the state will procure paddy from all registered farmers by March 31, reporting over 64 lakh tonnes already purchased this season from 19.68 lakh registrants.
- Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari detailed 973 mandi upgrades with 212 completed and 466 nearing completion, plans for 100 model mandis, and new warehouses of 5 lakh tonnes capacity, asserting payments are proceeding without chaos.
- Opposition leaders alleged non-lifting, delayed DBT beyond 48 hours, and illegal 'katni-chhatni' deductions, with the BJD citing only 31% of a 19.306 million-tonne crop procured so far, while Congress also pressed the 'Epstein files' issue in the House.