Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced Thursday a relief package for persons affected due to cyclone Yaas which hit hard the north Odisha coast May 26 morning.
The government is attempting to compensate the loss suffered by farmers, fishermen, artisans and people from all other segments of life.
The government said it will provide agriculture input subsidy to small and marginal farmers who have sustained crop losses of 33 per cent and above.
Also farm machinery subsidy of Rs 20 crores to the farmers of affected districts will be provided through direct benefit transfer (DBT) mode. House building and other assistances will be provided to the eligible beneficiaries as per state government norms.
Agricultural input subsidy of Rs 6,000 per hectare will be provided to farmers with land in non-irrigated areas, Rs 13,500 per hectare in areas under assured irrigation and Rs 18,000 per hectare for all types of perennial crops.
All the assistance will be provided to actual cultivators, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) is in a statement. Agricultural input subsidy to any affected farmer will not be less than Rs 2,000 for perennial crops and Rs 1,000 for other crops, it added.
The short-term Kharif loans advanced in the cyclone affected areas having crop losses of 33 per cent and above will be converted into medium term (conversion) loans, it said.
Similarly, 2,000 pump sets will be distributed with 50 per cent (maximum of Rs 15,000 per set) subsidy and 3,000 sprayers will be made available to the affected farmers at a subsidy of 50 per cent limited to maximum of Rs 3,800 for power sprayers and Rs 750 for hand operated sprayers.
Affected farmers in saline-inundated areas will be given assistance of Rs 750 per hectare for soil nutrient management and soil ameliorants. The statement also said an incentive of Rs 15,000 per person will be provided to 125 affected farmers for repair and renovation of betel vine cultivation.
Also more than 10,000 free vegetable mini-kits (Rs 150/ kit) will be distributed in the cyclone-affected areas. The Chief Minister’s Office has also announced compensation towards loss of animals.
People who have lost milch cows and buffalos will get Rs 25,000 per animal. Similarly Rs 3,000 will be given for loss of a goat, Rs 16,000 for the death of a cow or buffalo calf and Rs 50 per poultry bird.
Compensation of Rs 2,100 will be provided towards construction/renovation of damaged cattle shed. Relief has also been provided for mushroom farmers in the package announced.
Cyclone-hit farmers involved in mushroom farming will each get Rs 40,000. Aid for fishermen who have suffered losses due to the cyclone was also announced.
Assistance of Rs 4,100 will be given for repair of partially damaged boats and 9,600 for replacement of fully damaged boat.
Similarly Rs 2,100 will be provided for repair of partially damaged nets, and Rs 2,600 for replacement of fully damaged nets.
Further, financial aid of Rs 12,200 per hectare will be distributed to the affected fish farmers while input subsidy of Rs 8,200 per hectare will be provided for damaged fish seed farms.
Under handicrafts and handloom sector, assistance of Rs 4,100 per artisan. Sericulture farmers would get subsidy of Rs 4,800 per hectare for Eri, Mulberry, Tussar and Rs 6,000 for Muga, the CMO statement said.
PNN