Odisha seeks Rs 511 cr additional drought assistance

BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government has submitted a memorandum to the Centre seeking an additional assistance of Rs 511.507 crore to mitigate the drought situation in the state.

The state government had submitted an interim memorandum seeking an assistance of Rs 1,687.561 crore. With the assistance of Rs 511.507 crore, the government has sought a total assistance of Rs 2199.066 crore.

Here are the details

Till submission of Interim Memorandum on drought 2015, 173 Blocks of 25 districts in Odisha were reported to have sustained crop loss of 33% and above.

Accordingly, Central Assistance of Rs.1687.561 crore was sought for from the Government of India for undertaking various disaster response measures which included payment of agriculture input subsidy amounting to Rs.416.274 crore for crop loss to the affected farmers.

As per reports received from the Collectors, due to sustained dry spell, more and more crop areas in the previously reported villages as well as new villages have come under the grip of drought.

Taking these into account, cumulatively 13.41 lakh hectares of crop area in 215 Blocks of 26 districts in the State have sustained crop loss of 33% and more as on date. Accordingly, an additional amount of Rs.511.507 crore is required towards Agriculture Input subsidy for crop loss and the total requirement of fund towards Agriculture Input subsidy comes to Rs.927.779 crore.

This Additional Memorandum 2199.066 is accordingly submitted seeking a total Central Assistance of Rs. 2199.066 crore from Government of India for the management of the current Drought-2015.

However, the actual volume of crop loss will be ascertained after the crop cutting experiment of Kharif Paddy is over on the basis of which the State Government will submit the final Memorandum if required.