Rs137.51 cr input subsidy released
post news network
Bhubaneswar, Nov 10: The state government Friday notified 1,28,319 hectares of cropped areas in 24 districts as pest-affected; it also released Rs137.52 crore agriculture input subsidy to the affected farmers.
The office of the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC), noted in an official statement that only six districts — Balasore, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kandhamal, Kendrapara and Malkangiri — have not reported crop damage by pests.
According to the statement, 33 per cent or more of crop loss has been identified on the 1,28,319 hectares of cropped area in 8,092 villages under 150 blocks and 148 wards under 35 urban local bodies (ULBs).
The SRC Friday also released Rs 137.52 crore for payment of agriculture input subsidy to the affected farmers. Agriculture input subsidy at Rs6,800 per hectare for rain-fed areas and Rs13,500 per hectare for areas under assured irrigation would be provided to farmers who suffered crop loss above 33 per cent from pest attack.
The government has classified pest attack as one of the 12 approved natural disasters under the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) guidelines. Accordingly, the input subsidy is being provided to the affected farmers, sources said.
Heavy rain forecast Nov 15-17; farmers told to secure crops
Bhubaneswar: The Special Relief Commissioner’s office Friday asked the collectors of coastal and adjoining districts to advise farmers to collect and move their crop from fields in the wake of a forecast of heavy rains from November 15 to 18.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Maheswar Mohanty cited reports from the meteorology department here and said a low pressure area had formed over Southwest Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood, which was likely to cause heavy rain in Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Khorda, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Angul, Nayagarh, Kandhamal and Boudh.
He said the advisory was being issued to prevent crop damage due to rains and added that the respective district collectors have been directed to advise farmers to reap their crop and shift it to safer place.
The minister, though, ruled out the possibility of a cyclone in the period.