ROURKELA: A four-member Central team today assessed the drought-like situation in Sundargarh district following failure of two successive kharif crops.
District Collector Shalini Pandit said in the current kharif season, 1,459 of 1,792 revenue villages have suffered more than 50 per cent crop loss due to erratic rains. She said the administration is taking adequate drought relief measures to bail out the affected farmers. The administration has so far received `12 crore from the State Government to carry out relief measurers. Official sources opined that agriculture input subsidy of `25 crore besides, another `25 crore aid would help in effectively battling the situation.
Today, the Central team comprising Director to Ministry of Agriculture MC Diwakar, Assistant Director to Ministry of Finance Mukesh Sharma, Director to the Ministry of Water Resources AS Goel and Assistant Commissioner to Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries RP Mishra visited four badly affected blocks for assessment.
They visited Jarangloi, Kinjirkela and Machamara villages in Bargaon block, Khutmunda, Biringtoli, Kandeimunda and Telighana areas in Kutra block, Sargitoli in Rajgangpur block and Jamunanaki and Kalosihiria areas in Kuanrmunda block and interacted with the villagers. At several places, health and veterinary camps were also organised.