Bhubaneswar, Oct. 28: Rattled by the rising number of farmer suicides, chief minister Naveen Patnaik today announced 30 per cent hike in the daily wages of the people working under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) in all drought affected areas.

Presently, a daily wage labourer gets work for 200 days in a year with a remuneration of Rs 174 per day. With this announcement, he or she will be entitled to get an additional remuneration of Rs 52.20 per day. The chief minister also directed the panchayati raj department to identify places in different panchayats within three days for digging of big ponds.

Apart from generating work for labourers, it would also enhance the irrigation potential in different areas.

The chief minister also directed the revenue, agriculture and water resources departments to jointly inspect the drought-affected areas and make farmers aware of the steps taken by the government to address their problems.Help-desks will also be opened in block, tehsil and district headquarters.Presiding over a review meeting on the current drought situation, Naveen also announced the waiving of water tax in the drought-affected areas and directed the co-operative department to immediately stop collection of agricultural loans. The state government has decided to request commercial banks not to collect agricultural loans at this point of time. All the district collectors have been asked to call a meeting of bankers' within two days for the purpose.

The state government also decided to constitute farmers' clubs to ensure co-ordination between affected farmers and the administration. It also directed the officials to constitute joint teams comprising revenue and police officials to keep a watch on the moneylenders who are active in the drought-affected areas.

Two more cases of alleged farmers' suicide were reported today from Balangir and Nabarangpur districts. The deceased have been identified as Arakhit Majhi of Balangir and Bhaga Paika of Nabarangpur district.