Orissa Government announces special package for drought hit areas

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced special package for the drought hit areas in the state after a high-level review meeting held here on Thursday.

The district Collectors have been instructed to report by 7th October the list of Villages affected 50 % crop due to drought. After receipt of the report from the collectors, drought affected villages will be announced and memorandum will be submitted to the centre.

As per the decision, the government would provide a financial assistance of Rs 4,000 per hectare of irrigated land and Rs 2,000 for the non-irrigated land to the farmers who have incurred 50 percent crop loss this season. Under the ‘Jal Nidhi’ programe, 50,000 private lift irrigation points and 2,000 check-dams would be established by June 2011.

Besides this, the government has also announced to exempt water cess for farmers. Similarly, rice would be provided to poor in the drought hit areas on a daily basis and school and examination fee will also be exempted up to high school.

As per the government, 27 blocks are now facing drought-like situation due to the inconsistent rainfall this monsoon season. The Secretaries of Energy and Water Resources has been directed to review weekly regarding renovation of the LI points . The LI points under the Pani Panchayats will be re connected within 3 days, if they will deposit 50% of the dues. Atleast 200 Check Dams will be constructed by 2011 June. This project will be worked out priority basis in the drought affected areas. 50 % subsidy will be given in purchase of 7.5 HP pump sets of the drought affected areas. Subsidy will be given for diesel pump sets supplying water to the agriculture field. The farmers will be supplied with seeds of Groundnuts, Black Grams, Mung, Mustard, Sunflowers etc. Farm Pund will be dig in every village in private land under “Mo Pokhari” project .The Old, Children and poor peoples will be identified and they will be supplied with 1kg rice to adults and 500 grams to childrens for 60 days.

Agriculture has been affected in Anugul, Bolangir, Debgarh, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Kendrapara, Keonjhar, Sambalpur and Sundargarh districts which have received less rains this year.

The situation is more acute in Mayurbhanj district where 12 blocks have received 50 percent less rainfall than normal. Hence the government would soon dole out a special package for the farmers of Mayurbhanj and other parts of the state.

Earlier, the farmers in some parts of the state had demanded for the special package in the wake of the kharif production which was badly hit by the inconsistent rainfall.