Odisha submits final drought report of Rs 1344.99 cr

BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government on Friday submitted the final drought assessment report to centre pegging total loss at Rs 2344.99 crore.

“This final memorandum seeks a consolidated central assistance of Rs.2344.99 crore under different heads to tide over the drought situation arisen in the state of Odisha. The state government requests for early sanction and release of the said fund,” said the memorandum report.

As per the final report of crop loss derived through crop cutting experiments conducted under the provisions of Odisha Relief Code, crop area of 15,35,902 ha in 29176 villages of 3832 Gram Panchayats under 235 Blocks in 28 Districts and 412 Wards under 55 Urban Local Bodies have suffered damage to the extent of 33% and above.

Earlier, the state government had submitted an interim report seeking the central assistance of Rs 1687.56 crore and an additional report seeking the assistance of Rs 511.507 crore. The consolidated requirement of the fund that was requested to be sanctioned by the Government of India comes to Rs.2199.066 crore.

On January 7, the centre approved Rs 815 crore as drought assistance to Odisha reeling under a spate of farmer suicides over crop loss and indebtedness induced by a prolonged dry spell in the last Kharif season.