BHUBANESWAR: THE State Government on Wednesday released `364.76 crore to collectors of 19 districts for payment of agriculture input subsidy to farmers affected by unseasonal rains between November 15 and 20.The State Government notified an area of 407100.77 hectares in 14720 villages under 2460 gram panchayats of 133 blocks and 257 wards of 38 urban local bodies (ULBs) in 19 districts as affected by the unseasonal rains induced by cyclonic depression.
Balasore, Bhadrak, Boudh, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Gajapati, Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Kandhamal, Kendrapara, Keonjhar, Khurda, Koraput, Mayurbhanj, Nabarangpur, Nayagarh, Puri and Rayagada districts suffered crop damage due to the cyclonic depression induced unseasonal rains. Farmers who suffered 33 per cent or more crop loss will get assistance in the shape of agriculture input subsidy.
Collectors of the affected districts conducted quick assessment of crop loss through field visits by officials of the revenue and disaster management and agriculture and farmers empowerment departments and submitted reports to Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) BP Sethi. The SRC on Wednesday issued the relevant notification and released the funds to collectors.
Ganjam, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Khurda, Puri, Nayagarh, Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj districts had suffered maximum damage to crops. As per norms of assistance from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), farmers suffering more than 33 per cent damage will get agriculture input subsidy at the rate of `6,800 per hectare in rain-fed areas and `13,500 per hectare in areas under assured irrigation. Assistance for farmers having land holdings of more than two hectares will limited to two hectares.