Petroleum Minister calls for expediting drought relief measures for Odisha Shri K.S. Srinivas, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India called on Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of State (IC) for Petroleum & Natural Gas. He briefed the Minister about the visit of the inter-Ministerial delegation to Odisha, led by him, to examine the impact of drought on the farmer community and agriculture of Odisha. Shri Pradhan requested that the Ministry of Agriculture should expeditiously submit its report. This will facilitate speedy disbursal of financial grant and associated compensation to the distressed farming and agrarian community of Odisha. The Minister also stressed upon the need to favourably consider the demand of the State Government with respect to input subsidy claims and modifying the NREGS guidelines, which inter-alia include increasing the wages and number of mandays under the scheme. He also suggested that the request of the State Government with respect to providing financial relief to the farmers by way of providing moratorium on repayment of loan and request for seeking interest subvention, should also be favourably considered. YKB/Rk