Bhubaneswar: The state government Saturday said that an area of over 10,000 hectares in three districts had been affected by unseasonal rain in the state.
According to a notification of Revenue and Disaster Management department, 10,854.74 hectares of crops have been damaged in 850 villages under 155 gram panchayats of nine blocks in the three districts.
The three districts – Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur and Puri – were affected due to unseasonal rain caused by a cyclonic depression during December 9 and 10.
The field verification report submitted by the District Collectors concerned said the areas have sustained crop loss of 33 per cent and above. The state government has directed the collectors of the districts concerned to undertake relief measures in the notified areas.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has sanctioned over Rs 770 lakh for revival of 529 lift irrigation projects in Angul, Bargarh, Bolangir, Boudh, Dhenkanal, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nuapada, Sambalpur, Subarnapur districts covering an area of about 7,316 hectares.
As per norms, farmers whose agricultural or horticultural crops were affected to the extent of 33 per cent or more, will be paid agriculture input subsidy at the rate of Rs 6,800 per hectare in case of rainfed areas and Rs 13,500 in case of irrigated areas. An affected farmer can get input subsidy for maximum up to 2 hectares, even if the crop loss has been more, the source said. Last month, the government had notified 4.07 lakh hectares crop area as affected by the unseasonal rains that occurred during third week of November. Subsequently, the state government had also released Rs 364.76 crore towards agriculture input subsidy from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
PNN
