Bhubaneswar: CM Naveen Patnaik announces drought package for Kharif 2017. Agriculture input subsidy will be provided to the small and marginal farmers who have sustained crop loss 33 per cent or above Rs 6,800 per hectare of land in rainfed/non-irrigated areas and Rs 13,500 per hectare of land in areas under assured irrigation. Agriculture input subsidy will also be provided to farmers other than small and marginal farmers at the same rates subject to a ceiling of two hectares per farmer. The assistance should be provided to the actual cultivators.
Farmers affected by drought in Kharif shall be provided fresh finance for Ravi cultivation during current Ravi season, which has commenced from 1.10.2017.
Short term Kharif loans advanced in the affected areas during Kharif, 2017 having crop loss of 33 per cent and above shall be converted into medium term (conversion) loans.
The due date of Kharif short-term loans advanced in the affected areas shall be extended up to 30.9.2018 to facilitate the conversion of such loans into medium-term (conversion) loans.
1.25 lakh pulse minikits, o.5 lakh oilseed minikts and 0.25 lakh vegetable minikits will be supplied to the farmers for the Ravi Programme in the affected villages.
5000 pump sets will be provided with 50 per cent subsidy limited to Rs 15,000 to the farmers. Besides, availability of pump sets at different Agro Service Centres shall be published to enable the farmers to hire the same to save their standing crop.
District administration shall keep a close watch on money lenders and other unscrupulous elements causing financial hardship to the farmers and police will initiate tough action against such elements under the Odisha Money Lenders Act and various sections of the Cr. P.C. The SPs will have the responsibility to proactively deal with this. DIGs will review the matter.
Odisha Lift Irrigation Corporation shall take to repair the Lift Irrigation (LI) points in all the affected villages on priority. Steps shall be taken to operate all LI points during Ravi season. Energy department shall energize the LI points immediately. The district level committees constituted to receive defunct LI points should start the work immediately and complete the same by 31 December.
Steps should be taken to energize all pending deep bore wells on priority. MGNREGA works will be taken up by the Panchayati Raj Department to establish water harvesting structures /de-silting of field channels, diversion wires, etc. Out government will provide 50 days of additional work in drought affected areas.
50 per cent remission in respect of cess on land revenue will be given to farmers where the crop loss is 33 per cent or more. Collection of the remaining amount will be deferred to the next financial year without levying any interest. Collection of water rate in drought affected villages is waived for the current year.
Landless, marginal and small farmers in the drought affected GPs of 70 blocks will be provided livelihood support in terms of backyard poultry. At the same time, a focused approach will be adopted to take up intensive fodder cultivation in these GPs through distribution of suitable fodder kits.
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