The Odisha government on Monday decided to provide home loan assistance to 10,000 fishermen as laid down in its new agricultural policy.
"These fishermen would get a home loan of Rs 70,000 each as per the provisions of policy. The state government has set a target to give home loan assistances to 50,000 fishermen in next five years, said state agriculture minister, Devi Prasad Mishra after attending the review meeting on the implementation of the agricultural policy, chaired by Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik.
Decision on extending the livestock insurance to 21 districts from existing nine districts was also taken in the meeting. The districts are Angul, Balasore, Bolangir, Boudh, Dhenkanal, Deogarh, Gajapati, Ganjam, Jajpur, Jharsugusda, Kalahandi, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nbarangpur, Nuapada, Rayagada, Sundergarh, Sonepur, Nayagarh, Kandhamal and Bhadrak.
The meeting discussed on construction of 148,500 tonne capacity godown space, distribution of kissan cards, development of different RMC yards under the cooperation department for the benefit of the farmers and farm loans at subsidized rates etc.
"For disseminating information, Apicol (Agricultural Promotion & Investment Corporation of Odisha Limited) and other agencies have been directed to take the required steps," the minister added. The policy was unveiled on the occasion of Akshya Tritiya, the auspicious day when the sowing season begins in the state. After Karnataka, Odisha is the second state to present a separate budget on the agriculture sector. Similarly, decision to expand mobile medical units for treatment of live stocks to five more districts such as Cuttack, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Sundergarh was taken in the meeting.
