PURI: The state government will provide Rs 190 crore loan to Fani-affected farmers of the district through cooperative banks. It was decided at a district agriculture meeting here on Thursday.
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So far, banks have sanctioned Rs 125 crore to the needy farmers. The loanee farmers will also be included in Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and efforts are on to provide alternative farming to them in the cyclone ravaged areas. Under the integrated farming, a farmer could go for paddy, vegetable, pisciculture and poultry farming.
Project Director of DRDA Vishal Singh said paddy on 20,000 hectare has been washed away. Farmers would be given input subsidy. The rural, cooperative and commercial banks have been advised to extend loans to the needy farmers this season.
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This year, the Agriculture department targets to cover paddy on 1.61 lakh hectare and non-paddy crops on 19,000 ha.
He said subsidy would be given to farmers under direct benefit transfer (DBT) system. The Agriculture department would provide quality seeds of sunflower, potato, groundnut and tomato to farmers, besides fertiliser.
Among others, Deputy Director of Agriculture S Chandrashekhar Rao, Deputy Director of Horticulture Nabakishore Tada and Agriculture Scientist Sanjay Kumar Mohanty were present.