Orissa Chief Minister meets Prime Minister; demands Rs 1027 cr compensation package for rain-hit farmers.

Chief Minister met Hon`ble Prime Minister and presented a Memorandum on the losses suffered by the farmers of the State due to unseasonal heavy rains during the first fortnight of December 2010.

He apprised the Prime Minister that during last 6 months of the Calendar year 2010, Orissa has faced a Calamity of Rare Severity. Over 37000 villages out of 51000 villages of Orissa have been severely impacted by the acute drought that occurred during August & September 2010 followed by widespread unseasonal rains during the first fortnight of December 2010. Hon`ble Chief Minister informed the Hon`ble Prime Minister that over 19000 hectares of cropped area in the State has faced crop loss of over 50% causing extreme distress to the farmers. They need to be provided with immediate and adequate support, he asserted.

He requested the Prime Minister to release funds amounting to Rs.2616.19 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund to assist the affected people of the State. He also impressed upon the Prime Minister to have a relook at the existing scale of assistance for agriculture input subsidy and suggested to enhance it to Rs.25000/- per hectare to compensate for the high cost involved in modern agricultural practices.

Hon`ble Chief Minister apprised the Prime Minister that the paddy crop in the State has been badly affected due to unseasonal rains and drought and that it is necessary to relax the Fair Average Quality (FAR) norms for Orissa, without any value cut, to help the affected farmers in the State. He stated that the Hon`ble Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has already been intimated in this regard and requested for expeditious action.

He requested the Prime Minister to declare bonus of Rs.100/- per quintal over & above the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy for the current procurement season, to protect the interest of the farmers in these difficult times. He requested to release a minimum amount of Rs.400 crore immediately to the State for providing agriculture input subsidy to the affected farmers.

Hon`ble Prime Minister appreciated the urgent concerns of the State as brought out by the Hon`ble Chief Minister and assured his full support. He added that the Memorandum submitted by Orissa would receive priority attention and adequate assistance shall be provided to mitigate the hardships caused to the affected farmers of Orissa.