Odisha seeks Rs 1687 crore interim drought assistance

BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government on Monday submitted a memorandum to the Union government seeking the interim assistance of Rs 1687 crore to mitigate the drought situation in the state.

“We have submitted a memorandum seeking interim assistance on the drought situation in the state to the Centre. We have demanded the central assistance of Rs 1687.56 crore under six heads to mitigate the situation,” special relief commissioner (SRC) PK Mohapatra told the media here.

As per the report sent to the Union Home and Agriculture ministries, the state government has sought Rs 1687 crore assistance for drought-hit 173 blocks in 25 districts.

“A total of 8,82,720 hectares of the crop have been affected by the drought out of which 6,31,494 hectares sustained crop loss to the extent of 33per cent and above,” said Mohapatra.

The affected districts are Angul, Balasore, Bargarh, Bolangir, Boudh, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Gajapati, Ganjam, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Keonjhar, Khorda, Koraput, Mayurbhanj, Nabarangpur, Nayagarh, Nuapada, Puri, Rayagada, Sambalpur, Subarnapur and Sundargarh.

In order to meet situation, the state government demanded Rs 416.27crore to provide agriculture input subsidy to affected farmers, Rs 912.66 crore for re-phasing of crop loan and interest subvention on medium term crop (MTC) loans, Rs 52.49 crore for revival of minor lift irrigation projects, Rs200.35 crore as food assistance and Rs 24.78 crore for emergency drinking water supply.

Besides, the state also demanded Rs 81 crore to provide fodder, medicine and water to animals in affected areas.

The state government has announced to provide agriculture input subsidy to the affected farmers having landholding up to 2 ha, who have sustained crop loss of 33% and above, at Rs.6,800 per hectare of land in rainfed/ non-irrigated areas and Rs.13,500 per hectare of land in areas under assured irrigation.

In order to ensure food security for the affected population, affected the population of about 4.02 lakh will require gratuitous relief. An amount of Rs.200.327 crore is required to provide gratuitous relief to the said vulnerable population for a period of 90 days, said the SRC.

About 2.00 lakh cattle population have been affected due to the current drought.

He said the final report would be submitted to the centre only after the Kharif crop cutting in December.