BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday announced a package for livelihood support of farmers in the areas affected by extremely severe cyclone Fani including agriculture input subsidy of Rs 6800 per hectare (ha) of land in non-irrigated areas, Rs 13500 per ha under assured irrigation and Rs 18,000 per ha for all types of perennial crops.
The cyclone, which hit the Odisha coast on May 3, has caused extensive damage to the standing crops, fruit orchards, vegetable crops, plantations and various cash crops besides causing severe damage to assets and infrastructure in the farm fields. The livelihood of the people depending on animal husbandry, fisheries, handloom and handicraft sectors has also been severely affected.
Agriculture input subsidy will be provided to the small and marginal farmers who have sustained crop loss of 33 per cent and above. Official sources maintained that the assistance will be provided to the actual cultivators. The input subsidy to any affected farmer will not be less than Rs 2000 for perennial crops and Rs 1000 for other crops. Perennial crops include mango, cashew, coconut, kewra and betel vine.
One lakh vegetable minikits will be supplied to the Fani affected districts during Kharif 2019-20. Two lakh farmers will be trained in 2000 camps to adopt seed treatment with free supply of chemicals to cover two lakh acres to increase the production of Kharif crops. Besides, farm mechanisation subsidy of Rs 150 crore will be disbursed to the affected districts.
An incentive of Rs 15,000 per farmer will be provided to 5000 farmers/women self help groups (WSHGs) for betel vine cultivation. As per the package, short term rabi loans advanced in the affected areas during Rabi 2019 will be converted to medium term loan for those suffering crop loss of 33 per cent and above. Besides, due date of such loans will be extended upto June 30, 2020.
Expeditious steps will be taken to organise joint liability groups (JLGs) by covering maximum number of sharecroppers/oral lessees to provide them credit during the current Kharif season. Crop cutting experiments will be conducted to settle the claims of the affected insured farmers under crop insurance scheme, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) with risks of localised calamity and mid-season adversity.
The package announced that the Centre will be requested to provide interest incentive of three per cent for medium-term (conversion) loans at par with crop loans for prompt paying farmers. Besides, farmers affected by Fani will be provided fresh finance for cultivation during current Kharif season which has commenced from April 1, 2019.
The Chief Minister announced that school fees and school examination fees upto high school level in Government schools will be waived in the affected areas. Two extra pairs of school uniform will be provided to students in the extremely affected areas and one extra pair in the severely affected areas upto elementary school level.
Besides, 100 per cent remission of cess on land revenue for 2019-20 will be given to all cyclone-affected villages. There will also be 100 per cent exemption of water rent for farmers where the crop loss is 33 per cent or more during rabi season, 2019.