Sonepur: Contrary to a report submitted by district officials to the state government indicating complete crop loss in 40,761 hectares in this district, a bumper production of paddy was achieved this khariff season.
The record breaking harvest has proved that the report was a biased one and prepared without any coordination between various departments. The administration seemed to have been influenced by the uproar created by Opposition parties, farmers’ outfits and even by some ruling party members over the drought-like situation. The report had stated that farmers of Tarabha, Sonepur, Ulunda and Birmaharajpur blocks of the district suffered crop loss due to deficit rain.
Meanwhile, government has granted drought assistance of Rs 16.36 crore to the district on the basis of the report. Of this, only Rs 9.37 crore could be disbursed among the farmers while remaining input subsidy amount is still lying unspent due to the flawed crop loss assessment, a report said.
It was learnt that the administration, in its hurriedly made report, indicated loss in more farmlands to get more funds. However, the bumper production of paddy has exposed the administration’s lack of sincerity in preparing reports.
This kharif season about 20.67 lakh tonnes of paddy has been collected while more paddy stock is still with the farmers which couldn’t be procured by the mandis. Thus, the assessment of the administration in its report was found to be incorrect.
Similarly, several farmers’ outfits who had pressurized the administration to declare the district drought-hit now maintain silence over the issue. In the present situation, a strong-worded letter from the special relief commissioner has given sleepless nights to the revenue officials. They are now planning to refund the unspent drought assistance to the government, it is believed.
On the other hand, Zilla Krushak Vikash Samanway Samiti president Rajendra Nayak alleged the inaccurate assessment of the drought situation by the administration helped millers while farmers continued to suffer from distress sale. Revenue officials have not assessed the loss village-wise, he said.
Nayak also raised question over the record production since a farmer of drought affected area had only sold six quintal of paddy per an acre. He said there are discrepancies between rate of production, harvest and collection of paddy in the district.
Collector Dasarathi Satpathy said input subsidies have been disbursed among the farmers who suffered crop losses due to drought. The state government would not be urged for a second phase of assistance, the collector said, adding the surplus amount would be refunded. PNN