Odisha announces Rs 124-crore package for pest-affected areas

In an effort to rescue the farmers hit by pest attack in different districts, the Odisha government today announced a package of Rs 124 crore for the affected areas during this year's Kharif season.
The decision in this regard was taken at the Agriculture Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
The Cabinet revisited the state government's earlier decision and announced that the farmers who had set fire to their crop field out of frustration for not being able to control pests, would also get the relief.
"Agriculture input subsidy will be provided to small and marginal farmers, who have sustained crop loss of 33 per cent and above due to pest attack at the rate of Rs 6,800 per hectare in rain-fed/non-irrigated areas, and Rs 13,500 per hectare in areas under assured irrigation," Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Maheswar Mohanty.

According to the special relief commissioner (SRC) B P Sethi, the state government has calculated that agricultural input subsidy at around Rs 124 crore under the pest attack package.
The minister said the cabinet also resolved that in the pest affected areas, 75 per cent subsidy will be provided to the farmers for purchase of insecticides/pesticides for crops sown during the Kharif season this year, Mohanty said.
Stating that the pest attack has been reported from 1.12 hectare of crop land spread over 92 blocks of nine districts, the minister said steps are being taken to urgently make pesticides available in all the affected blocks.

The benefit will be limited for maximum of two hectares per farmer, he said.