Bhubaneswar, June 19: A day after distributing free mobile phones to nearly 5,000 farmers, chief minister Naveen Patnaik today announced an assistance package for the flood-hit farmers of southern Odisha.
Standing and harvested crops have been damaged in Kalahandi, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur and some neighbouring districts following incessant rain that triggered floods last week. Naveen and his ministerial colleagues were busy holding the Swabhiman Samavesh in New Delhi at the time.
Drawing flak from the Opposition parties for being “insensitive” to the farmers’ woes, Naveen woke up to the situation this week and held a video conference with the district collectors concerned. He also deputed two of his ministers — panchayati raj minister Kalpataru Das and food supplies and consumer welfare minister Pratap Keshari Deb — to tour the affected districts.
Under the new package, the affected farmers, who have suffered more than 50 per cent crop loss, will be entitled to an ex gratia assistance of Rs 2,000 per hectare.
The affected farmers will get agricultural input subsidy of Rs 3,000 per hectare for rain-fed areas, Rs 6,000 a hectare for irrigated areas and Rs 8,000 a hectare for perennial crops.
Repayment of the affected farmers’ crop loans will be deferred for one year and loans given for the kharif season.
Apart from distributing paddy seeds to the affected farmers free of cost by the agriculture department, the Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation has been asked to take steps to lift the paddy available in the market yards of the affected districts through a special drive. The Centre will be requested to relax fair average quality norms.
Besides, houses will be provided to farmers whose homes have been damaged fully, under the centrally sponsored Indira Awas Yojana and state-funded Mo Kudia Yojana.
Assistance for repair or reconstruction of damaged houses, along with financial aid for clothing and utensils, will be given to affected families according to norms of the state and national disaster response funds.
