Odisha ministers rush to assess crop damage

Odisha government today sent two ministers to rain-hit districts to assess the quantum of loss suffered by farmers due to incessant rain in southern and western regions.
Panchayati Raj minister Kalpataru Das and food and supplies minister P K Deb visited Rayagada and Koraput districts where at least 678 families became homeless as their houses were damaged due to rain on June 13 and 14.
Before visiting agricultural fields, the minister held a review meeting at the district headquarters of Rayagada and assessed post rain situation.
"We have asked the district administration to quickly assess damage due to rains. The government will soon provide compensation to the affected farmers," Das told reporters.

Using motor bikes, the ministers also visited several inaccessible areas in adjoining Koraput district. School and mass education minister Rabinarayan Nanda, who hails from Koraput district, also joined them.
"We have seen damage of ripe paddy in fields in both Koraput and Rayagada districts," Deb said.

Meanwhile, Kalahandi district administration in its report to the Relief commissioner said heavy rain damaged the standing crop and paddy lying in the field after harvesting.
According to the report, 219 villages under 5 blocks like Kalampur, Jaipatna, Junagarh Koksara and Dharamgarh blocks have been affected. The preliminary report says standing paddy crop in 17,051 acres and crop of 3962 acres lying in thrashing ground of farmers were severely affected.

Paddy crop of 21,014 acres belonging to 10,437 farmers have been assessed to be affected in Kalahandi.
Further field to field detail assessment is in progress and it may take about a weak for completion, the district administration of Kalahandi said in its report.
Another report from Nuapada district said paddy crop have been damaged due to rains in Khariar block. More than 3,000 hectare of land under cultivation of paddy have been affected in the rain.