Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik declares drought assistance package

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday announced an assistance package for people affected by this year's drought.

A slew of measures have been announced for the agriculture sector. Farmers who suffered crop loss of more than 33 % will receive Rs6, 800 per hectare for non irrigated land and Rs 13,500 per hectare of land in areas under assured irrigation, and Rs 18,000 per hectare for all types of perennial crops.

Apart from this, agriculture input subsidy will also be provided to farmers other than small and marginal farmers at the same rate subject to a ceiling of two hectares per farmers.

Odisha government has also announced that 3000 pump sets shall be provided with 50% subsidy limited to a maximum of Rs 15,000.

As part of farm credit, short-term Kharif loans advanced in the affected areas during Kharif 2018 having crop loss of 33% and above shall be converted into Medium Term (Conversion) loan. Due date of Kharif short-term loans advance in the affected areas shall also be extended up to 30th September 2019 to facilitate the conversion of such loans into Medium Term (Conversion) Loans.

For animal resources development sector 20,000 numbers of landless, marginal and small farmers in the drought-affected GPs will be provided livelihood support in terms of backyard poultry.

For wage employment additional 50 man-days will be provided under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

In the land revenue and enforcement domain, 100 % remission in respect of cess on land revenue and compulsory basic water rate will be given to farmers where the crop loss is 33% or more.

In the education sector also tuition fees and examination fees in the government and aided schools and colleges in drought-affected areas shall be waived.

The Odisha government on November 1 declared droughts of moderate and severe nature in 19 districts of the state. The calamity covers a total crop area of 2.33 lakh hectares covering 5,533 villages of 66 blocks in nine districts namely - Nabarangpur, Bargarh, Balangir, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, Nuapara, Sambalpur and Sundergarh.