11.61 lakh Odisha farmers to get Rs 1,776 cr crop insurance

Bargarh: A total of 11.61 lakh farmers across the State will receive Rs 1,776 crore as crop insurance for Kharif season of 2015, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said today.

Addressing a gathering during his visit to Bargarh district, he said more than one lakh farmers in the district will get Rs 276 crop insurance in coming days.

While farmers in Sambalpur district will receive Rs 100 crore, cultivators in Kalahandi and Balangir districts will get Rs 166 crore and more than Rs 370 crore respectively, the chief minister noted.

Notably, the Odisha government has started the process for disbursal of crop insurance amounts among six lakh farmers of 10 districts located in the western part of the State.

The chief minister said with the transfer of special assistance of Rs 100 per quintal of paddy to the bank accounts of the farmers hit by the drought last year, the promises made by the state government have been fulfilled.

The Chief Minister said he has directed the district collectors to ensure farmers do not face any difficulties at the procurement centres during the paddy purchase.

He mentioned about Odisha’s win of the national award more than once in agriculture sector and said this was possible due to sacrifice and hard labour of the farmers of the State.

The chief minister said the BJD government has been working to safeguard the interest of the farmers and the same will continue.

Also read: Crop insurance to farmers within two weeks: Odisha govt

He alleged the neighbouring Chhattisgarh has affected interest of the farmers of Odisha by constructing barrages on the upper catchment areas of Mahanadi.

Alleging the neighbouring State has conspired to supply water to industries with the establishment of the barrages on Mahanadi, Patnaik said the livelihood of the farmers, fishermen and lakhs of people of Odisha will be hit due to scarcity of water during non-monsoon period due to construction of barrages in the upstream of Mahanadi by the Chhattisgarh government.

He stated the Odisha government has demanded before the Centre to form a tribunal to address the issue of river water sharing between States.

Besides, the chief minister visited Deogarh and Jharsuguda districts to launch several projects and address public gatherings.