Central team to assess drought situation in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: An inter-departmental central team is likely to visit Odisha in the first half of December to assess the prevalent drought situation in the state, an official said.

The central team’s proposed visit follows Odisha government’s interim memorandum seeking an assistance of Rs 1,687 crore to mitigate the drought situation. The state government had submitted the interim drought report with the Ministry of Agriculture and Home Affairs.

“The Union Agriculture Ministry has constituted an inter-ministerial team of nine members following our submission of an interim memorandum on drought situation. We have received the order that the team will tour Odisha in the first week or second week of December,” said Special Relief Commissioner PK Mohapatra.

He said the government has prepared a final draft on drought and will present it to them.

Notably, a five-member central team, led by Union Additional Commissioner of Agriculture RP Malik visited the state on October 7 to assess the situation. The team was formed by Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh based on a request from Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.