Puri: Tehsil officials in the district have failed to distribute compensation (input subsidy) among farmers affected by the unseasonal rains during October and November last year even though the state government has sanctioned about Rs 37.52 crore for the purpose.
Sources said officials have only distributed Rs 7,11, 03, 455 among 28,998 farmers of eight tehsils in the district. However, officials of Brahmagiri, Kakatpur and Gop tehsils are yet to distribute a single rupee among the farmers, who suffered crop loss.
Heavy rains, powered a low pressure, had lashed the district for three days starting October 18 last year. Paddy crops on at least 33 hectare land in Delang and Satyabadi tehsils were damaged by pests soon after the rains.
Moreover, unseasonal rains in November had damaged paddy crops on 39,952.48 hectare land in the district. As many as 1, 13, 582 farmers were affected by the rains.
The state government had sanctioned a compensation of Rs 37, 52, 77, 812 to the district November 30 and asked the officials to distribute the amount among affected farmers by December 15.
However, officials of all 11 tehsils have failed to distribute the compensation. Additional collector Bibhuti Bhusan Das said they have initiated measures for speedy distribution of compensation.
PNN
