BHUBANESWAR: THE Directorate of Horticulture has submitted a revised proposal to the State government for providing financial assistance to farmers for digging 730 additional farm ponds to address the drought problem in 10 districts. The directorate has sought an assistance of Rs 5.47 crore from the National Disaster Management Fund for district-level drought mitigation as per the recommendation of the 15th Finance Commission.
Under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), farmers are provided 50 per cent assistance for digging farm ponds. “There is provision of 50 per cent assistance for digging of farm pond under MIDH to all types of farmers which is not sufficient to cater to the demand of farmers in drought prone districts. So, it is proposed to provide catalytic assistance to the horticulture farmers of 10 successive drought prone districts of Odisha,” said Director of Horticulture RK Lenka.
While assistance will be provided to selected farmers of Balangir, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput, Gajapati, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda and Mayurbhanj, the programme would be implemented as per the existing subsidy pattern and guidelines of MIDH except mandatory polythene lining, he added.
The agro-climatic diversity in the State with its high rainfall distributed over a four-month monsoon season and a reasonably moderate winter allows growing of a variety of horticultural crops like mango, litchi, guava, oranges and lime; annual fruit crops like banana, pineapple and papaya; spices like ginger, turmeric, chilly, a variety of root and tubers and a whole range of vegetables.
Of late, floriculture is also showing excellent prospects. The State enjoys a natural advantage for horticulture with possibilities for growing a diversified basket of fruits, vegetables, spices, tubers and flowers, he added.
The 15th Finance Commission has recommended catalytic assistance of Rs 20 crore each to 12 most drought-prone states including Odisha for preparing district-level drought mitigation plans. A beneficiary will be provided Rs 75,000 assistance for farm pond under the scheme. Earlier, the directorate had sought catalytic assistance of Rs 11.25 crore for digging 1,500 farm ponds in these districts.
POND SCHEME
A beneficiary will be provided Rs 75,000 assistance for setting up farm pond
Directorate of Horticulture had sought Rs 5.47 cr from the National Disaster Management Fund for drought mitigation as per the recommendation of the 15th Finance Commission