Bhubaneswar: Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management minister Suresh Pujari said the government has decided to provide financial assistance for crop and house damage due to unseasonal rain between May 27 and 30 as per the norms of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
The state government this month had declared unseasonal rain as a state-specific disaster. The farmers and affected people will get assistance from SDRF. A maximum of 10 per cent of the annual allocation of SDRF can be utilised for this purpose, the minister said.
“The affected people will get assistance as per the report of district collectors”, Pujari said at the review meeting on preparedness for monsoon held here Friday evening.
He that efforts are on to provide assistance to all those who suffered due to unseasonal rains.
“Every farmer and person whose house was damaged by rain and wind will get compensation,” Pujari said, adding that there is no shortage of funds for assisting the needy farmers and poor people.
Pujari said that a joint survey is actively underway by the Revenue and Disaster Management department and Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment department to assess the full extent of crop and house damage.
He said the government will ensure that no affected person is deprived of assistance.
Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre director Manorama Mohanty told the meeting that the state received an average of 49 mm of rainfall between May 27 and May 30.
Eight districts of Kendrapara, Kalahandi, Jagatsinghpur, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Bhadrak, Subarnapur and Rayagada have received more than 50 mm of rainfall. Similarly, 22 other districts recorded rainfall ranging between 10 to 50 mm causing damage to standing crops.
The meeting held at the Special Relief Commissioner’s office was attended by Deputy Chief Minister KV Singh Deo, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister KC Patra, district collectors and agricultural officers.
