Bhubaneswar, December 28: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday said that the farmers affected by the unseasonal rains will be given compensation through DBT mode after damage assessment by December 30.
Tge CM convened a high-level meeting at the State Secretariat to address the devastation caused by unseasonal rains across the State between December 20 and 28. The meeting was attended by Ministers and senior officials from the Agriculture, Revenue, and Cooperation departments.
“Today’s review focused on the crop damage caused by unseasonal rains. I have instructed officials from all relevant departments to compile a detailed crop damage report by December 30. Based on these reports, affected farmers will receive financial assistance through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system,” the Chief Minister told reporters after the meeting.
The Chief Minister urged farmers to register themselves on the ‘Krushirakshak’ mobile application to qualify for financial assistance.
The meeting followed alarming reports of widespread crop destruction across the state. Distressing accounts of farmers dying by suicide or succumbing to heart attacks after witnessing their ruined farmlands have further spurred the administration into action.
“The State Government is fully aware of the immense losses farmers have suffered, particularly in Kharif crops such as paddy and horticultural produce. We assure all farmers that they will receive due compensation as per the guidelines and provisions of the Union and state governments,” the Chief Minister said.
To streamline assistance, the government has introduced a toll-free helpline, – 14447-, for farmers to report crop loss.
The Chief Minister also revealed that 1.26 lakh farmers have already registered for crop damage compensation under the ‘Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana’**. He stressed that both insured and uninsured farmers would be eligible for Government compensation.
Reports from across the state indicate that paddy farmers were the hardest hit, with crops that were ready for harvest and sale at government procurement centers submerged due to heavy rains caused by a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal. Vegetable and betel leaf farmers also faced severe losses as their crops could not withstand the relentless downpour.
Meanwhile, two farmers reportedly died of heart attacks, while others—overwhelmed by debts taken to purchase seeds and agricultural inputs—ended their lives after witnessing the destruction of their crops.
