Farmers under the banner of Navnirman Krushak Sangathan (NNKS) are holding a statewide bandh in Odisha on Wednesday. They demand the government to pay out the promised Rs 800 per quintal input assistance at state-run mandis and to kick middlemen and millers out of the paddy procurement process. The statewide bandh started from from 6 am and will continue till 2 pm.
Because of the day-long protests, most public services will slow down or stop for those eight hours. But there is nothing to worry as you will get access to hospitals, ambulances, and pharmacies.
Based on common scenarios during service strikes or shutdowns, public transport (buses, trains), government administrative offices, schools, and waste collection are likely to experience disruptions or closures. While critical care remains, routine appointments and non-emergency services may be postponed, though emergency services like hospitals and pharmacies typically remain operational.
Odisha bandh: What’s open
- Hospitals and medical colleges
- Ambulance services
- Pharmacies and medical stores
- Emergency services (police, fire, disaster response)
- Milk supply and essential food delivery (may vary locally)
- Media services
Odisha bandh: What’s likely to be closed
- Government offices (partial disruption possible)
- Banks and financial institutions (operations may be affected)
- Schools and colleges (some may remain shut or shift online)
- Public transport (buses, autos, taxis may run fewer services)
- Shops and markets (especially in urban centres)
- Private offices and commercial establishments
- Petrol pumps (may face temporary disruption in some areas)
Political parties extend support
In the meantime, the Odisha unit of the Congress on Tuesday extended support to a state-wide bandh called by a farmers' organisation on Wednesday. The state unit of CPI (M) also announced its support to the Navnirman Krushak Sangathan (NNKS), a farmer body which has called for an eight-hour bandh on January 28. The BJD thanked the NNKS for taking up the farmers' issue and hitting the streets.
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das, in a statement, said the issues raised by Navnirman Krushak Sangathan are similar to those over which the grand old party has been staging agitations across the state.
Check their demands
The NNKS has called for a bandh demanding the disbursement of Rs 800 per quintal input assistance to all farmers at state-run mandis and elimination of middlemen and millers from the paddy procurement system. It also protested the imposition of electricity smart meters on consumers and steep penalties levied on vehicle owners under pollution certificate enforcement. It also opposed the move to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005, with the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevija Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G).
Also Read:
Odisha Bandh today: Are schools, colleges, banks, govt offices closed? Here’s what you must know
