Bhubaneswar: Out of 314 blocks in the state, 235 blocks in 25 districts have received deficit rainfall during current monsoon season, revenue and disaster management minister Sudam Marndi told the Assembly, Friday.
Making a statement on a possible drought like situation in the state and the steps being taken to prevent it, Marndi said out of 30 districts, only five districts—Koraput, Khurda, Nabarangpur, Cuttack and Kalahandi—have received normal rainfall. The other 25 districts have witnessed deficit rainfall. Only 79 blocks have got normal rain this monsoon session, he said, adding, out of 235 blocks, which have recorded deficit rainfall, 21 have received 59 per cent less rainfall than normal so far.
The minister said the office of the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) is monitoring the rainfall data everyday while a Crop Weather Watch Group Committee has been formed under the chairmanship of the agriculture production commissioner to review the crop situation every week.
During this kharif season, he said, various crops including paddy are being cultivated over 25.80 lakh hectares. As per paddy crop is concerned, seed sowing has been completed while transplantation of seedlings is being carried out at some places where water is available, Marndi said. If rain does not occur for next 2 to 3 days, paddy crops may be hit on a large scale. However, as per the IMD prediction, rainfall will continue in some places over the state till Saturday. So, the government hopes this rain may give relief to farmers, he stated.
He further informed the house that water level in many reservoirs and rivers is running below the expected level due to low rainfall this year. Till July 21 last year, the mega and medium water reservoirs had 28.28 per cent of the average live storage capacity while it has come down to 15.66 per cent this year.
