Naveen announces package for street vendors, coconut growers, poultry farmers

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday announced Rs 100 crore special package for street vendors, coconut growers and poultry farmers affected by the cyclone Fani.

The special package would be met from CMRF and state’s own resources.

Street vendors are among the most vulnerable sections of the urban populace. About 30,000 street vendors whose livelihood has been severely affected in 11 Urban Local Bodies due to cyclone “FANI” will be provided with a cash assistance at Rs10,000 each to support the loss of livelihood.

Extensive damage has been caused to coconut trees, which is an important source of livelihood for the people living in coastal Odisha, said the Chief Minister.

Apart from Agriculture Input Subsidy and support for tree plantations and seedlings already announced recently, cash assistance of Rs 500 per damaged coconut tree will be provided to the affected farmers, subject to a limit of 25 trees per farmer, to support their immediate livelihood.

Many small broiler poultry units have been damaged due to cyclone, which has severely impacted the livelihood of these farmers.

To revive the broiler poultry units in the cyclone affected areas, each farmer will be provided an assistance of 75 percent subsidy, limited to Rs 1 lakh per unit of 500 birds, said the Chief Minister.

200 small broiler poultry units will be supported through this intervention, he added.