Odisha submits final drought report, seeks Rs.2,234.29 crore

The Odisha government on Friday submitted the final drought assessment report to the central government, seeking Rs.2,2344.29 crore assistance to mitigate the drought situation in the state.

It has sought early sanction and release of the fund.

The final report of crop loss, derived through crop cutting experiments conducted under the provisions of Odisha Relief Code, said crop area of 15,35,902 hectares in 29,176 villages of 3,832 gram panchayats under 235 blocks in 28 districts and 412 wards under 55 urban local bodies have suffered damage to the extent of 33 percent and above.

However, two districts - Jagatsinghpur and Malkangiri - were not been affected by drought.

While the state government has sought Rs.1,062.47 crore as agriculture input subsidy, Rs.912.66 crore has been sought for conversion of crop loans advanced during 2015 Kharif season, said Special Relief Commissioner Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra.

A sum of Rs.52.49 crore was sought for revival of lift irrigation projects and Rs.206.67 crore as food assistance.

Earlier, the state government had submitted an interim report seeking central assistance of Rs 1,687.56 crore and an additional report seeking assistance of Rs.511.507 crore totaling Rs.2,199.066 crore.

On January 7, the central government 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.

Due to erratic and deficient rainfall during the South-West Monsoon-2015, Odisha faced with a severe drought situation.