Odisha CM announces Rs 507-cr package for Jawad-hit farmers

Bhubaneswar: With an aim to provide relief to farmers affected by Cyclone Jawad in Odisha in the first week of December, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced a special package of Rs 507 crore for them.

Small farmers and sharecroppers whose 33% crop have been affected by the cyclone and dependent on rainwater for farming will get Rs 6,800 per hectare. Similarly, those who are dependent on irrigated land will be provided Rs 13,500 per hectare. Also, Rs 18,000 per hectare assistance will be given for damage to all-season crops such as mango, cashew, coconut, beetle, kia etc.

Farmers will get minimum Rs 2,000 input subsidy for all-season crops and Rs 1,000 for other crops.

A total of 12,000 quintal seeds will be provided at discounted rates to farmers of 12 districts whose high-yielding seeds have been damaged. Apart from this, additional 25% of the discount will be given on DBT mode for 2021-22 Rabi crops.

The affected farmers will get 50,000 pulses seed mini kits and 4 lakh vegetable seed mini kits.

One lakh members of Self Help Groups cultivating fruits and vegetables will get crates. Each member will be provided five crates at 90% discounted rates so that there will be less crop loss after harvest. The farmers will get 10 fruit saplings each for free for plantation in the backyard.

One lakh farmers will get Rs 4,000 each for 0.2 hectare for hybrid vegetable cultivation.

A statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) mentioned steps will be taken to form a Joint Liability Group to ensure sharecroppers get farm loan for Rabi crop.

Steps will be taken so that farmers who have been registered under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana will get their compensation at the earliest. Damage assessment and crop cutting experiment will be completed soon, the CMO statement added.

Farmers of several districts in Odisha were affected due to Cyclone Jawad on December 4 and 5.