BHUBANESWAR: As the low pressure-induced pre-monsoon rains have caused significant damage to rabi crops in several districts, the state government on Tuesday said compensation will be provided to the affected farmers as early as possible.
The crop loss situation was reviewed at a high-level meeting attended by deputy chief minister-cum-Agriculture minister KV Singh Deo, Revenue and Disaster Management minister Suresh Pujari and Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare minister Krushna Chandra Patra at Lok Seva Bhawan here.
After the meeting, Pujari told mediapersons that instructions have been issued to all district collectors to send reports on crop damage within the next three to four days. He said reports have already started arriving from some of the districts. After assessment of the extent of damage, the government will send the reports to the insurance companies to pay the compensation to farmers covered under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).
Farmers who have not been insured under PMFBY will get input assistance as per the norms of State Disaster Response Fund (SRDF). The government will also ensure affected farmers get input subsidy within the next four days, Pujari added.
He said the meeting also discussed procurement of paddy from rain-hit farmers. Since the mandis and market yards have modern machines for drying wet paddy, farmers have been advised to make use of it to ensure that their produce meets the fair average quality standard.
Report from some districts stated standing paddy crops nearing maturity have been affected by excessive moisture causing them to sprout and become commercially unusable. The unseasonal rains have also halted the harvesting operations.
Apart from paddy, post-harvest operation of other rabi crops such as groundnut, green gram and black gram is also going on.
With monsoon setting in, Pujari said waterlogging in low-lying areas has posed another threat. Necessary instructions have been issued to the Urban Development and Panchayati Raj departments to keep their machinery ready to tackle the problem, he added.
