Post News Network
Malkangiri, Dec 9: Call it lack of publicity or lack of interest among farmers, a government scheme which ensures diesel pumpsets at subsidised rates to drought-hit farmers has evoked poor response in the district.
The farmers have picked up only 130 of 2,000 pumpsets sanctioned to the district, officials said.
Farmers suffered huge loss of crops in the district due to poor rain this kharif season. However, the government, based on reports of revenue and agriculture departments, didn’t announce the district drought-affected. However, the administration acknowledged crop loss by several farmers.
Taking the loss into consideration, the state government decided to supply diesel operated pumpsets to farmers at a discount. The agriculture department was asked to provide 1,186 pumpsets to farmers by December end. Though over 1,200 pumpsets had reached the godown of Agro Industry Corporation, farmers failed to take the advantage, agriculture department officials said.
Agriculture deputy director Damodar Sethy said farmers have been sensitised about government programmes through meetings and workshops. Despite this, only 130 farmers have opted for pumpsets at 50 per cent subsidy so far, Sethy informed, adding the surplus sets are lying in the godown.
Government subsidy won’t be available unless farmers register their claims by the end of January, the officer said.
Some paddy growers including Bharat Patnaik, Surya Mohanty, Samara Marhi and Lachhman Durua said, “ We are aware of the government scheme and interested to avail the opportunity. But this is harvesting time. We can only buy pumpsets with the money we will get after selling the crop.”
