Odisha releases Rs 364.76 cr for rain-affected farmers

Bhubaneswar, Nov 29 (IANS) The Odisha government on Wednesday released Rs 364.76 crore to Collectors of 19 districts for payment of agriculture input subsidy to farmers affected by the unseasonal rain.

The government notified an area of 40,7100.77 hectares in 14,720 villages under 2,460 Gram Panchayats of 133 blocks and 257 wards of 38 urban local bodies in 19 districts as affected by unseasonal rain which occurred during November this year under the influence of cyclonic depression.

As per the norms of assistance from State Disaster Response Fund and National Disaster Response Force, farmers -- whose agriculture or horticulture crops are affected to the extent of 33 per cent or above -- will get agriculture input subsidy at the rate Rs 6,800 per hectare in case of rainfed areas, and Rs 13,500 in case of areas under assured irrigation.

The assistance for farmers having land holdings of more than 2 hectares will be limited to 2 hectares, said a statement.

The districts which suffered crop damage due to cyclonic depression induced unseasonal rain during November 15 to 20 are Balasore, Bhadrak, Boudh, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Gajapati, Ganjam, Jagatsingpur, Jajpur, Kandhamal, Kendrapada, Keonjhar, Khordha, Koraput, Mayurbhanj, Nabarangpur, Nayagarh, Puri and Rayagada.

The farmers will get the assistance in shape of agriculture input subsidy.

Under the direction of the state government, the District Collectors conducted quick assessment of crop loss through field visit of officials of the Departments of Revenue and Disaster Management and Agriculture and furnished their reports to the Special Relief Commissioner.

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