BHUBANESWAR: Even as the Centre is yet to respond to the State Government’s request for an interim assistance of `1,000 crore to tide over the situation in districts hit by cyclone ‘Titli’ and the resultant floods, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday announced a special package for the affected farmers, fishermen, weavers and students.“We hope the package will ameliorate the suffering of farmers and others affected by the calamity,” the Chief Minister said.
Two sets of uniforms and textbooks will be provided to children up to elementary school level while tuition and examination fees of students till Class X will be exempted, said Chief Secretary A P Padhi.
The package, decided at a meeting chaired by the Chief Minister, said the minimum agriculture input subsidy to farmer in the calamity-hit area will not be less than ` 2,000 for perennial crops and `1,000 for other crops.
Compensation for loss of domestic animal is `30,000 per milch cow and buffalo (up to three animals) while the assistance per draught animal (up to three) `25,000, `16,000 per calf (up to six animals), `3,000 per goat (up to 30 animals), `50 per bird (maximum `5,000).
Marine and Chilika fishermen who lost their boats and nets will get an assistance of `60,000 and `15,000 respectively while for other fishermen, the assistance will be `22,500 per boat and `15,000 per net.
The State Government has announced an agriculture input subsidy of `6,800 per hectare for rain-fed and non-irrigated areas and `13,500 per hectare in assured irrigated areas where the crop loss is 33 per cent or more.
An amount of `18,000 per hectare has been earmarked for all types of perennial crops restricted to sown areas. Perennial crops include mango, cashew, coconut, kewra and betel vine. The assistance will be provided to the actual cultivators, Padhi said.Incentive will be provided to 2,000 farmers at the rate of `7,000 per unit for cultivating root and tuber crops. It has been decided to provide 1,000 pump sets at 50 per cent subsidy limited to a maximum of `15,000 per unit.
For affected fish farmers whose tanks/ponds have been damaged with loss of fish and fish seeds, it is envisaged to provide financial assistance up to 75 per cent with an upper limit of `1.12 lakh per hectare.
The Chief Secretary said short term kharif loans advanced in the affected areas during kharif 2018 having crop loss of 33 per cent and above will be converted into medium term loan and the due date will be extended up to September 30, 2019 to facilitate conversion of such loans.
Similarly, for handicraft and handloom sector, `4,100 per artisan would be given for replacing tools and equipment while a similar amount would be extended for loss of raw material and finished goods, Padhi added.
Exam fees till Class X to be exempted in affected areas
Two sets of uniforms and textbooks will be provided to children up to elementary school level in calamity-hit area.
Examination fees of students till Class X will be exempted.
Minimum agriculture input subsidy to farmer will not be less than `2,000 for perennial crops and `1,000 for other crops.
Compensation for loss of domestic animal is `30,000 per milch cow.
For handicraft and handloom sector, `4,100 per artisan would be given for replacing tools and equipment.