Odisha seeks Rs 511 cr drought relief fund

This is over and above interim assistance of Rs 1,687.56 cr state sought last month

With 26 out of 30 districts in Odisha in the grip of drought, the state government has sought an additional assistance of Rs 511.50 crore from the Centre to provide relief to the affected people and also undertake mitigation measures. 

This is over and above the interim assistance of Rs 1,687.56 crore which the state had asked from the Centre last month.

The combined assistance sought by the state to combat drought has now gone up to Rs 2,199.06 crore. The fund requirement has been listed under six major heads- agriculture input subsidy (Rs 927.77 crore), conversion of crop loans advanced during Kharif 2015 (Rs 912.66 crore), revival of minor irrigation projects (Rs 52.49 crore), provision of fodder/feed concentrate including water supply and medicines in cattle crops and strengthening of fodder resources (Rs 81 crore), gratuitous relief (Rs 200.35 crore) and emergency drinking water supply (Rs 24.78 crore).

 

As per reports received from the collectors, 1.34 million hectares of crop area has been cumulatively affected in 215 blocks across 26 districts have sustained crop loss of 33% and above.

Accordingly, the state government has submitted the additional memorandum amounting to Rs 2199.06 crore to the Government of India for management of Drought-2015.

However, the actual volume of crop loss will be ascertained after the crop cutting experiment of kharif paddy is over on the basis of which the state government will submit the final memorandum, if required.