Odisha announces special package for farmers hit by Cyclone Yaas

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today announced a special package for farmers affected by very severe cyclonic storm Yaas.

The financial assistance will be provided to farmers as compensation in agriculture and animal resources development sectors affected by the Cyclone Yaas that hit Odisha on May 26.

Here’re details of amounts will be paid to Cyclone Yaas-hit farmers in Odisha:

Agriculture sector:

• As per the order, Rs 6,800 input subsidy per hectare will be provided to small and nominal farmers with 33% or above damage in non-irrigated land.
• In irrigated areas, input subsidies of Rs 13,500 per hectare and Rs 18,000 per hectare for all types of daily crops will be provided. Mango, cashew, coconut, betel, kewda and other crops are included in the daily crop category. Only the genuine farmers will be provided with this assistance.
• Farmers will get a minimum subsidy of Rs 2,000 for daily crops and a minimum subsidy of Rs 1,000 for other crops.
• Farmers in the affected districts will be provided with 1.5 lakh quintal of high quality certified paddy seeds along with a 25 per cent discount on the current rebate for the 2021 kharif season. The rebate will be paid directly to the farmer’s account through DBT.
• One lakh farmers will be included in the seed refining programme for 1 lakh acres of land for higher yields during the kharif season.
• During the kharif season, 25,000 acres of land in the affected areas will be covered for paddy, jute and pulses.
• Farmers adopting improved farming methods, such as row sowing and row harvesting will be given an incentive of Rs 1,500 per hectare for 36,000 acres of land.
• Input subsidies will be credited to farmers’ accounts for crop loss due to insects on 60,000 hectares of land.
• Farmers in the affected districts will be given a Rs 20 crore discount DBT to buy high-quality agricultural machinery.
• Farmers in the affected areas will be provided with 2,000 pump sets and 3,000 sprayers at a discount price. A maximum amount of Rs 15,000 will be given for a 50 per cent discount for pump sets, a maximum of Rs 3,800 for a 50 per cent discount for power sprayer and a maximum rebate of Rs 750 will be given for a hand sprayer.
• As the seawater entered into farmlands in Bhadrak and Balasore districts due to the cyclone, the farmers in these two districts have been severely affected. Therefore, financial assistance of Rs 750 per hectare will be provided for Nutrient Management & Soil Ameliorants. Assistance will be provided for a total of 10,000 hectares of land.
• An incentive of Rs 15,000 per person will be provided to 125 farmers of betel leaf cultivation through DBT.
• A total of 10,000 affected farmers will be provided with high quality saplings at a cost of Rs 115 for growing vegetables at their gardens.
• Rs 40,000 will be provided to 50 mushroom cultivation units affected by the cyclonic storm. With the assistance, the affected farmers can recover their cultivation units. This assistance will be provided directly to the farmer’s bank account.
• Farmers in the affected areas will be provided 10,000 vegetable mini kits worth Rs 110 each for free of cost.
• Steps will be taken to expedite the preparation of the crop harvest report so that the claims of the affected farmers covered by the Prime Minister’s Crop Insurance Scheme can be resolved.
• Short-term kharif loans to farmers with crop loss of more than 33% in the affected areas will be converted into medium-term loans.

Animal Resources Development sector:

• Assistance will be provided to farmers who have lost cattle, goats, sheep and poultry in the cyclone. While a sum of Rs 30,000 has been announced for dairy cattle, Rs 25,000 will be provided for non-dairy animal. Similarly, for a maximum of 6 calves – Rs 16,000 per calf, Rs 3,000 up to 30 goats/sheep and Rs 50 per chicken, will be given to affected farmers.
• Rs 2,100 will be provided for the reconstruction of the cattle shelters.
• Assistance of Rs 4,100 each will be paid to cyclone-affected fishermen for repairs to their partially damaged boats, Rs 2,100 for partially damaged fishing nets, Rs 9,600 for entire wrecked boats and Rs 2,600 for completely damaged fishing nets.
• An input subsidy of Rs 12,200 per hectare for renovation of damaged fish/fish seed farms and Rs 8,200 per hectare will be provided for damaged fish seed farms.
• Many handicraft and handloom artisans have been affected by the Cyclone Yaas. Each will be provided Rs 4,100 for their equipment and Rs 4,100 for destroyed raw materials and manufactured products.
• The input subsidy will be Rs 4,800 per hectare for farmers of Eri, Mulberry and Tussar. An assistance of Rs 6,000 per hectare will be given for Muga silk farmers.
• Extensive employment opportunities will be created under the MGNREGS scheme to provide employment to the affected people. Besides, repairing of panchayat roads, playgrounds, canals, mud dams, maintenance of cow shelters, goat shelters and cattle fodder cultivation will be in focus.
• The eligible beneficiaries will be provided with housing and other assistance in accordance with the SDRF/NDRF rules.