Bhubaneswar: With debate raging over eligibility of sharecroppers to get compensation for crop loss following pest attack, Odisha government on Friday announced for Rs 137.52 crore agriculture input subsidy for the affected farmers.
Farmers who have sustained crop loss of 33 percent and above will be eligible to get agriculture input subsidy which will be provided at Rs 6,800 per hectare of land for rainfed and Rs 13,500 for areas under assured irrigation.
Special Relief Commissioner’s office today informed that the pest attack has been classified as one of the twelve approved Natural Disasters under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Fund.
Official sources said crops in nearly 1, 28,318 hectares of land in 24 out of 30 districts have been affected by pests in Odisha. Rs 137.52 crores have been sanctioned out of SDRF in favour of concerned collectors for disbursement of the input subsidy to affected farmers.
A highest of 16 blocks and 6 urban local bodies in Ganjam district, 14 blocks in Bolangir, 12 blocks in Kalahandi and 11 blocks in Bargarh district have been worst-affected by the pest menace.
Six districts including Balasore, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kandhamal, Kendrapara and Malkangiri have reported ‘zero’ crop-loss due to pest menace.
Also Read: Pest Menace: Farmers, including sharecroppers, to get compensation
The Special Relief Commissioner today also directed all district collectors to remain alert and take possible measures to protect crops keeping in view the rain forecast in Odisha.
Moderate to heavy rainfall is likely to occur at a few places in Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara,Cuttack, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Angul, Nayagarh, Kandhamal and Boudh due to movement of a low pressure close to Odisha coast from November 14.
As a result, the Collectors in bulk of the districts have been asked to ensure that crops including paddy that are harvested are shifted to safer places or stacked under suitable cover to avoid further loss.