Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government has submitted memorandum before the Centre demanding drought assistance of Rs 1534.82 crore.
The memorandum has been submitted before the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare on the basis of field enquiry conducted under the active supervision of the district level officers and as per the reports received from the Collectors.
Due to erratic rainfall and moisture stress condition, there was crop loss (mainly paddy) in some pockets of the State.
Taking into account the representations received from the farmer’s organisations as well as from the people’s representatives regarding drought situation, the Collectors were directed to conduct joint field enquiry through the field functionaries of the Agriculture and Revenue Department and submit report.
The field enquiry were conducted under the active supervision of the district level officers and as per the reports received from the Collectors, the Government have declared an area of 324590.8 hectares in 6,389 villages under 70 blocks and 101 wards of 19 urban local bodies (ULBs) of nine districts as drought affected having sustained crop loss of 33 per cent and above during Kharif 2018 and authorised the Collectors to undertake relief measures in the notified area.
Accordingly a memorandum on drought 2018 has been submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India seeking central assistance of 1534.82 crore under different heads to tide over the drought situation.
