The Odisha government today announced a special assistance of Rs 100 per quintal of paddy for the farmers hit by cyclone Phailin and subsequent floods.
"The farmers will get special assistance of Rs 100 per quintal, over and above the minimum support price of paddy," Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said at a public meeting in Baragarh.
Claiming that he was running a farmers' government, he said: "The government considered the plight of the farmers sympathetically and made this decision to help the peasants affected by the twin calamities."
Patnaik said the farmers would get the benefit of special assistance till the end of Kharif season which was mostly till April next year.
The state is likely to bear an estimated additional expenditure of Rs 150 crore, a senior official said, adding, the assistance would be given to a farmer up to 100 quintals of paddy.
The farmers disposing more paddy would get the benefit up to 100 quintal. This apart, the government has also decided to exempt CST on paddy, which is generally two per cent, in case farmers sell their product in other states, he said.
The state government has targeted to procure about 30 lakh quintals of paddy during the ongoing Kharif season, sources said.
The decision was reportedly taken at the state cabinet meeting last night, but was not made public in view of model code of conduct being in force for the ensuing Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation elections.
Patnaik had also held a separate meeting with BJD leaders on the subject. Earlier, a group of MLAs from western districts had sought payment of bonus on paddy.
The decision comes three days after Patnaik's convoy was obstructed by angry farmers near the State Secretariat on December 24. At least 26 members of the Navanirman Krushak Sanagathan (NKS), were arrested on charge of obstructing the Chief Minister's convoy.
While demanding bonus for affected farmers, the NKS activists had also demonstrated inside the Assembly during the winter session of the House.
Both Congress and BJP, however, slammed the state government for making the announcement of special assistance on paddy keeping any eye on next general elections.
"Patnaik's announcement exposes the government's narrow political motive. It would be better if the government announces Rs 300 bonus per quintal of paddy," Congress chief spokesman N Mishra said.
Senior BJP leader B B Harichandan also alleged that the announcement was made keeping in view the next elections.
