Orissa announces subsidy for flood affected farmers

Bhubaneswar, Jul 13 (UNI) Orissa government today announced a 50 per cent subsidy in providing seeds and other agricultural inputs to the farmers affected by recent floods in 16 districts.

State Revenue Minister Manmohan Samal, who held a high-level meeting in presence of State Agriculture Minister S N Nayak at the state secretariat, told newsmen that the subsidy would be distributed as per the guidelines of the calamity relief fund(CRF).

Mr Samal said as per the preliminary report, paddy crops over an area of 46,016 hectares had been damaged in the floods caused by deep depression in the Bay of Bengal during the first week of July.

He said the state government has decided to provide Rs.1000 subsidy per hectare on the rainfed land and Rs.2500 on the irrigated land.

The Seed Corporation, Mr.Samal said would provide the certified seeds to the affected farmers at 50 per cent subsidy which would be available at the agricultural seed centre in the state.

State Agriculture Minister S N Nayak said nearly 20,000 quintals seed would be distributed at fifty per cent subsidised rate to the farmers whose crop had been damaged in the floods.

The Revenue Minister said vast tract of land in Kalahandi district has been sandcast due to the flash floods and the District Collector has been asked to submit a detailed report so that adequate compensation would be provided to the farmers.

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